How to use this checklist

This is a pre-development checklist for AI-assisted software projects.

Use the checkmarks in whichever way helps your project. There is no required order, and marking an item done can also mean you considered it and decided it does not apply.

The checklist gives a practical overview of what to decide and set up before starting AI-assisted development. It can also work as a reminder for more experienced developers.

Generative AI changes quickly, so this checklist focuses on concepts, decisions, and trade-offs that should stay useful even as individual tools change.

How it is organized

The checklist is organized from the model outward. Each row is a layer of decisions, and each card is a topic with its own checklist items.

Local model and cloud model are alternatives, but you can use both in one development environment. Project setup applies to everyone.

Each card has an info button with a fuller explanation and, where useful, a link to an external source.

Who is this for?

This guide is directed toward students and staff at the University of Oulu, but it is written so anyone can use it.