I get asked all the time if I am worried about artificial intelligence (AI) replacing my job. There’s a common misconception that AI will wipe out the need for user experience (UX) designers. This way of thinking fails to consider the expertise that UX designers bring. AI is powerful. But, it lacks the critical thinking that only humans can provide. So, why is everyone talking about AI in UX?

When used thoughtfully, AI can simplify our workflows. Rather than fearing its potential to steal our jobs, we can use AI to streamline our work processes and create more thoughtful concepts.

Overcoming Ethical Hurdles

Before discussing how I use AI to streamline my UX workflows, let us address the ethical hurdles.

Protecting Client Data: Since AI systems process data inputs, maintaining confidentiality is essential. When working on client-related tasks, I ensure all proprietary details are scrubbed unless explicit permission is given to use external Generative AI tools. This safeguards against risks around compliance with client agreements and our duty to protect their intellectual property (IP).
Copyrighting External Work: Creating unique work for our clients is crucial. Using AI responsibly means we always evaluate its direct output before incorporating it into our work. This way, we prevent the unintentional insertion of someone else’s intellectual property into our work and, as a result, into our client’s product.
Avoiding Bias: AI can perpetuate existing biases, which lead to cursory user experiences. When I use AI, I check its results for biases. I change them to avoid reinforcing stereotypes or excluding users.

By prioritizing these ethics, I can use AI responsibly and keep users’ trust. If I can’t ensure ethical use in a project, I won’t use AI. My commitment to responsible UX practices always comes first. If you want an AI strategist’s take on this, check out Jordan Thayer’s blog “Using Generative AI Every Day at Work? An AI Strategist’s Honest Take” to go more in-depth.

AI-Generated Personas

User personas are critical in the discovery process of a design effort. But creating them can be tedious. Fortunately, AI can expedite this process. Tools such as FounderPal and UXPressia‘s persona generators have become game changers in my workflow.

These AI personas generate in seconds and provide details tailored to my inputs. They include motivations, backgrounds, goals, demographics, etc. Almost instantly, I have a detailed user persona that I can use to help shape upcoming design decisions.

Although these AI-generated personas are great for getting started, they’re not perfect. After generating them, I always edit them to fit my needs.

Using AI to Craft Innovative Solutions

Let’s take a look at a real-world application. Last fall, I delved into a challenging technical domain with a client in the construction industry. With a tight deadline looming, I had to learn tricky domain knowledge while working through the design effort. Crafting user personas became a vital strategy for understanding my audience. I input essential user needs into UXPressia, which generated a comprehensive persona.

After some adjustments, I moved it to a secure space. Then, I added client-specific details manually. This enabled me to quickly pinpoint the client’s needs and spark new inquiries.

These insightful questions led me to reassess the product’s requirements. This reassessment helped me and my team identify a new solution that met their objectives. We wouldn’t have come to this solution without a comprehensive group of personas. And I wouldn’t have been able to populate the personas promptly without AI.

Get Out of Design Paralysis Using AI

Every designer gets stuck in a “design paralysis” from time to time; it’s inevitable. During my last project, a developer introduced me to Rubber Duck Debugging. Rubber Duck Debugging means explaining your code to a rubber duck or any inanimate object. Doing this helps you spot mistakes and understand the problem by processing it aloud.

Rubber duck debugging was originally intended for software development, but it also works in UX. UX designers can explain a solution and how it works to a “rubber duck.” This can help us identify pieces we are missing or that we haven’t considered. But what do you do when you find yourself with nothing to “debug” in the first place?

When faced with a creative block, I use ChatGPT to generate a list of ideas. From there, I can “debug” aloud why those ideas work or don’t work. Then, I can weigh different options and refine my vision.

Crafting a Unique Interaction

Let’s segue back to the practical application space again. In February 2024, a client asked me to create an interaction that was different from any pattern that I had seen before. Facing a stark case of design paralysis, I needed something to get the creative part of my brain moving.

I asked ChatGPT for help. I typed “Generate 10 interaction concepts for beginning flows with pre-populated information in UX design” into the input box and hit enter. ChatGPT provided a wealth of fresh ideas. Although none of them were exactly what I was looking for, they jump-started my creative engine.

As I reviewed the suggestions, I used Rubber Duck Debugging to figure out what worked and what didn’t. This process helped me find further clarity in the direction I wanted to take. I then drew inspiration from various concepts to arrive at an entirely new, effective interaction.

In the end, I created an interaction that was purposeful, intuitive, and aligned with the application’s requirements. My solution not only met the client’s expectations but also met them promptly. By using AI, I turned a mental block into a chance for innovation.

Use AI to Generate Icon Ideas

Iconography is my arch-nemesis. Designing icons can be a nuanced and detail-oriented process. Additionally, some interactions, products, and actions are hard to convey through simple icons. AI tools like Adobe Illustrator‘s icon generator have proven to be a big help in brainstorming and creating icon concepts. They offer a range of ideas based on simple prompts.

I use Adobe Illustrator’s AI icon generation feature as my main starting point. I can generate 10 or more icon ideas, and then take note of what I like, dislike, etc. From there, the ideation process begins.

However, I recommend against using Adobe Illustrator’s AI icon generators’ raw outputs. This is due to flawed anchor points and path work. AI also lacks professional quality and may raise copyright issues by drawing from real-world sources.

Crafting Icons for Event Sequences

Let’s take one last look at a project application. Have you ever come across an icon that represents a sequence of events? I never have. So when our construction client asked for a visual feature to highlight “sequences,” I struggled to find icon inspiration.

The software offers many ways to visualize data, but an icon was essential for creating clarity in this interaction. I turned to Adobe Illustrator and explored a range of icons that represented “sequences.”

As I generated each one, new ideas emerged. The outcome? Unique concepts that captured the essence of “sequences.” The client couldn’t believe the way this new feature enhanced their workflow. The icon enhanced clarity, providing a clearer picture of its functionality.

Continuous Learning and Experimentation with AI

Outside of client work, there are a lot of fun ways to use AI in your personal life to improve your UX skills. As a type A person planning my wedding, I’m inclined to create flows and diagrams to ensure a seamless experience for myself and my guests. And yes, I realize how fun this makes me sound.

Lately, I’ve been testing Whimsical to generate user flows for my wedding day. I want to see how all the moving pieces interact and identify ways to improve the flow. Although it has its limitations, Whimsical has been a great starting point.

I’ve also been experimenting with Khroma to develop a concise color palette. There are many color generators. But Khroma stands out because it uses AI to learn my preferences and sorts accordingly. Plus, it’s accessibility-conscious, which is crucial as I design my invitations and save the dates.

I haven’t found a meaningful way to use these apps that prevents inadvertently exporting or exposing client IP to train models. So for now, I’ll stick to using them for personal projects. But there is still a benefit to experimenting with these tools. So let’s get comfortable with using AI to streamline UX workflows, even if they are personal.

Final Thoughts

Integrating AI into my UX workflow has been a game changer. It has boosted efficiency, creativity, and user experience in an accelerated way. When we merge our empathy with AI’s capabilities, we create designs that form real connections with users—and we do it faster, too!

Moving forward, let’s empower each other to embrace AI to streamline our workflows!

Leverage AI for Promising UX Results: 2025 is the Year to Begin