The Power of Prompts: How We're Using AI

Harnessing massive computing power to generate bold, unexpected designs is transforming the way we work. It’s like having a wildly creative digital sidekick, one that doesn’t wait for inspiration, just dives in and delivers.

When faced with a set of design challenges, AI can sift through thousands of possibilities to uncover the most promising ones. By exploring a vast range of options, it often surfaces ideas we might never have considered, then narrows them down to a curated set of solutions it predicts will perform best.

The quality of AI output depends on the quality of the input. Weak instructions lead to mediocre results.

While robots aren’t taking all our jobs just yet, it’s wise to start preparing for what’s ahead. For some of us, that might mean evolving into new roles, letting computers handle what they excel at, and focusing on what humans do best. It’s a shift from being doers to becoming thinkers.

Because AI, no matter how advanced, still needs context. It can’t fully grasp the subtle nuances, trade-offs, and judgment calls that come with real-world decisions. That’s where we come in, to interpret, to decide, and to guide the technology toward what truly works.

Chatting with the Bots

There are countless ways to approach any task. That’s why giving a new teammate vague or incomplete instructions is a fast track to disappointment. If they don’t understand how you work, they’ll likely take a different path, and the results may not match your expectations. So why treat our new AI collaborators any differently? If we feed them unclear guidance, we shouldn’t be surprised when the output is underwhelming.

The quality of what you get from AI depends entirely on what you put in. And while that sounds simple, figuring out what to ask, how to ask it, and where the boundaries are can be tricky. Give it a one-liner with no real direction, and the results will be exactly that, flat and forgettable. But offer it clear constraints, thoughtful guidance, and a bit of context? That’s when it starts to feel like magic.

Think of it as your robot intern: lightning-fast, impressively capable, but totally clueless about your world. If you want useful results, you have to set the stage.

Most of the time, it helps to explain three things: what you need, why you need it, and how you want it done. The more context and precision you give, the stronger the outcome. Treat it like you're teaching a new student, one who works best with clarity, examples, and inspiration. Reference styles, name-drop influences, spell out your taste.

Because unless you tell ChatGPT about your obsession with William Gibson, it’s just going to assume you’re more into Dan Brown. Here are some examples of the ways we’re using AI:

Idea Factory

AI is great at jumpstarting the creative process, especially when you're stuck or starting from scratch. Ask it for a flood of ideas, then filter and refine the best ones.

Example 1: Write 20 catchy, short, and friendly title/subtitle combinations for my new [description of product].

Example 2: Our customers are struggling with [pain point]. Generate UX improvement ideas for our [description of product].

Adviser

Tap into strategic thinking from AI acting as a world-class advisor. Use it to simulate advice from top-tier professionals, like CEOs, consultants, or domain specialists.

Example 1: A panel of Fortune 500 CEOs is asked: [Insert question]. Generate insights, strategies, and action plans as if each CEO responded. Include their company name, the CEO’s name, and a link to a credible source.

Example 2: Act as the CEO of a fictional company. You’ll face strategic decisions, manage financial performance, and respond to high-stakes scenarios.

Analyst

Get a head start on research. AI can break down complex topics, analyse trends, and identify opportunities quickly.

Example 1: Analyse the current state of [industry]: include trends, key challenges, opportunities, relevant data, and a short- and long-term forecast. List major players and suggest new features/products to maintain market share.

Example 2: Provide a comprehensive review of [specific software/tool] for [your business use case].

Stress-Tester

Pressure-test your ideas. Use AI to challenge assumptions, identify blind spots, and strengthen your approach from every angle.

Example 1: What potential challenges might I face when pursuing [your idea]?

Example 2: What would it take to successfully launch a [your idea]?

Expert Teacher

Accelerate your learning by asking AI to teach through analogies, comparisons, and thought-provoking questions.

Example 1: Help me understand [topic/skill] by drawing parallels with unrelated fields. I want to better apply this knowledge in creative or unexpected ways.

Example 2: Teach me how to craft better questions around [topic/skill] to encourage deeper thinking and curiosity.

Editor

Whether it’s a messy draft or a wall of notes, AI can help you polish, rewrite, and improve your work.

Example: Act as my proofreader and editor. I’ll share an extract, please fix my grammar, improve clarity, and rewrite as needed. Then, list the improvements you made.

AI is rapidly becoming a core tool across nearly every industry, and design is no exception. Whether it's analysing user behaviour, generating prototypes, or running tests, AI enhances decision-making and speeds up the design process. But as machines take on more technical tasks, designers must double down on what makes them irreplaceable: critical thinking, collaboration, storytelling, and orchestrating complex systems.

That doesn’t mean design jobs are disappearing. AI could increase the demand for thoughtful, human-centred design. Remember how impressive 3D renders and deepfakes once were? Just months later, we scroll past them without a second thought. As AI ramps up the volume of content, it also raises the bar and the need for great design, clear vision, and meaningful direction.

AI will no doubt reshape the design industry, but it won’t make designers obsolete. Machines still need human guidance. By leaning into what only humans can do, designers can stay ahead, using AI not as a threat, but as a creative multiplier.

So don’t compete with AI. Collaborate with it. Let it elevate your work, boost your efficiency, and help unlock new ideas. AI won’t replace you, but someone using it well just might.