I. The idea
At the breakneck pace of AI development, it feels like these “large language models” are more eager to evolve than I am to keep up. I’ll level with you—I mainly stick to OpenAI’s ChatGPT4. It’s dependable, and honestly, simplicity is my lazy Sunday afternoon. For the trendsetters among us, there's always Google's Gemini, Meta's AI powered by Llama, or Anthropic's Claude to tinker with.
AI tools are transforming our workloads by mixing a bit of sophistication with a healthy dose of the mundane. Think of AI as a reliable yet dull intern: brilliant at kickstarting projects but unlikely to wow in a boardroom. The trick? Crafting prompts that push these digital helpers towards something that looks like original thought. But beware—these tools have their quirks. They produce vanilla content about as often as the office coffee machine spits out tepid brews. So, it falls on you to spice up their outputs into something that truly showcases your creative flair.
My prompts usually read like a mini novel—packed with context and directives. But here are 10 quick AI-powered jolts to snap you out of the dreaded blank-page paralysis and elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary.
For Product Designers
Idea Generation
Prompt: "Dream up five innovative features for a mobile app aimed at boosting mental health among teens, weaving in elements of gamification and social bonding." (bonus: “Create a series of app icons for this app”)
Sample Output: "1. Emoji Mood Tracker with gamified achievements, 2. Challenge-based Peer Support Networks, 3. AR Mindfulness Quests, 4. Growth Journeys with digital mentors, 5. Supportive Avatar Guides for tough emotional times."
User Persona Creation
Prompt: "Craft a detailed persona for a tech-savvy retiree eager to blend technology with their zest for life." (bonus: “Make a photo-realistic headshot for this persona”).
Sample Output: "Name: Bob Miller, Age: 70, Loves: Gadgets, Golf, Gourmet Cooking, Goals: Video chatting with grandkids, mastering digital photography, maintaining health via tech."
UX Flow Design
Prompt: "Outline a user journey for an eco-friendly ecommerce site, from discovery to checkout, with a focus on educating users about sustainability."
Sample Output: "1. Eco-Score Homepage, 2. Story-driven Product Pages, 3. Interactive Eco-facts Pop-ups, 4. Transparent Cart Review, 5. Green Checkout with eco-rewards."
Feedback Analysis
Prompt: "Analyze feedback for a new fitness app, pinpointing specific user complaints and feature suggestions." (bonus: if you have real feedback)
Sample Output: "1. Requests for more customizable workout options, 2. Issues with syncing devices, 3. Need for a simpler calorie tracking interface."
Visual Mockups
Prompt: "Describe three dynamic visual themes for a meditation app aimed at young adults, prioritizing engagement and style." (Bonus: “create some color palettes and sample visuals to go with it”)
Sample Output: "1. Luminous Auras Theme, 2. 80s Neon Nostalgia, 3. Dynamic Weather-based Interface."
For Design Managers/Leaders
Team Productivity Tracking
Prompt: "Develop a weekly productivity template that measures output and team sentiment, customized for a creative team."
Sample Output: "Week Ending: [Date], Achievements: [List], MVP of the Week: [Name], Upcoming Milestones: [List], Improvement Areas: [Feedback]."
Strategy Formulation
Prompt: "Draft a strategy for integrating state-of-the-art AI into our mobile apps, with a focus on personalization and predictive features."
Sample Output: "1. Market and Tech Assessment, 2. Customization Feature Development, 3. User Behavior Prediction Prototype, 4. User Testing Phase, 5. Full-Scale Implementation Review."
Stakeholder Reporting
Prompt: "Compose a positive update for stakeholders on the progress of our latest UI redesign, highlighting key milestones and future plans."
Sample Output: "Subject: Significant progress in the UI redesign effort! Dear Stakeholders, We're excited to share that we’ve made meaningful progress on the follow areas [areas], with encouraging user feedback. Next steps: refine designs and initiate development..."
Recruitment and Hiring
Prompt: "Write a job listing for a Senior UX Designer who will lead our new VR projects, emphasizing innovation and collaboration." (Bonus: “create an eye-catching visual asset to share on social media alongside the job listing”)
Sample Output: "We’re looking for a Senior UX Designer to lead our groundbreaking VR initiatives. Responsibilities include creating immersive interfaces, conducting in-depth user research, and collaborating to turn bold ideas into reality."
Professional Development Planning
Prompt: "Outline a six-month development plan for junior designers, incorporating hands-on projects, mentorship, and workshops."
Sample Output: "Month 1: Design Basics, Month 2: Project Assignments, Month 3: Mentorship Start, Month 4: UX Trends Workshop, Month 5: Team Design Project, Month 6: Performance Evaluation and Planning."
With these tools, AI doesn’t just get the ball rolling on your design dilemmas—it becomes the desk neighbor who listens patiently, never rolling their eyes, as you hash out your next great idea. Remember, the real magic isn’t in the tool but in the hands that wield it. So go ahead, make something amazing.
II. The links
Mercury launches personal banking. While I am a very happy customer of Wealthfront for my personal cash management and investments, I use Mercury for business banking. Their UI is beautiful and delightfully restrained, and it’s great to see competition in the space. Unlike many free services, Mercury plans to charge $240/year, offering unique features they hope will justify the cost.
Americans’ new TV habit: subscribe, watch, cancel, repeat. NYTimes article tracking emergent behavior in the streaming space. 29M+ people (25% of US streaming subscribers) canceled 3+ services over the last two years as Americans increasingly jump between services.
III. The jobs
Lots of design jobs, Netflix. Speaking of streaming services, Netflix has 10+ open roles across product design, content, motion, and leadership roles. Most eye-catching is that because they allow you to choose your mix of cash comp and equity, the published annual range for something like “senior designer” is $200k - $700k (!!!) and “design director” is $430k - $1.5M (yes, that’s million).
Product Design Manager, Figma. If you are in the industry, you know how important Figma is. They’ve got a world-class team, and based on their recent product launches, it feels like they managed to shake off the doldrums from the failed Adobe acquisition.
Art Director, Instagram. The Instagram Design Studio is hiring an art director to join their team in NYC or SF. Concept and execute design strategies for one of the world’s biggest social networks (and brands).
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