Enterprise platforms: IBM Z and IBM i context
How developers on enterprise platforms approach AI-assisted work — with strong emphasis on verification and change control.
AdvancedOPINIONIBM ZIBM iCOBOLRPG
Prompt
Explain the attached COBOL program: purpose, inputs, outputs, control flow and any dead code. Produce a plain-language summary for a developer who has never worked with this codebase. Do not propose changes.
Problem
Enterprise platform code is business-critical, long-lived and understood by a shrinking group of specialists.
Scenario
A team needs to document batch programs before a platform migration assessment.
Architecture
- Explanation only — no generated changes
- Every output reviewed by a platform specialist
Why Bob?
Comprehension support is valuable even when code generation is out of scope for governance reasons.
Prompt
Attach one program at a time and keep the scope to explanation.
Bob Workflow
- Summarise program purpose
- Map data structures
- Flag ambiguous logic for specialist review
Generated Result
Program summaries suitable for a migration assessment inventory.
Validation
- Specialist review of every summary
- Cross-check against job schedules
Security
Enterprise source often contains embedded business rules and identifiers. Confirm your data handling policy before use.
Lessons Learned
- Explanation-only scope gets governance approval far faster
- Ambiguity flags are more useful than confident summaries
Resources
- Your organisation's change control policy