Becoming an AI-ready Designer: Mindset (Pt. 5)
Methods, tools and mindset to incorporate in your day-to-day
Hey everyone, Filippos here 👋. I originally started writing this as one post but it became so big that I decided to split into multiple parts. I had an incredible time writing this series of posts and hopefully it will be as insightful to you as it has been for me.
If you are new to product design, I also recommend checking out my product design masterclass, a self-paced, end-to-end product design course for beginners and mid-level designers.
Prologue
This is the fifth and final part of a series of posts on becoming AI-ready as a Product Designer. The series explores tools, workflows and methods that, as product designers, we should familiarize ourselves with, so that we are ready for a new AI-powered era in product design and development.
5: Mindset (this post)
Let’s dive into it.
Mindset
The last part in this series is about mindset.
Every technological shift requires a change in how we think.
On one hand, changes in tools and processes present a groundbreaking opportunity for positive change.
On the other hand, these changes often cause fear, anxiety, as well as many unanswered questions on the future of the industry and our roles.
With this last, shorter piece, I’ll dive a bit into what I think should be our approach to learning and leveraging AI while maintaining our health and sanity.
Stay curious and optimistic
If there is one thing you need to do as you prepare for a new AI-enabled world, that is to be as curious as you can:
Curious to explore what’s new and how it could fit your workflow.
Curious to understand how people around you are embracing the change.
Curious to learn, to fail, to adapt.
Whether you are someone new to design, or someone very seasoned, you need to embrace the mindset of a junior.
Think of the curiosity that inspired you when you first started designing.
Think back to the first end-to-end flow that you built, or the first prototype you created.
That’s the kind of curiosity that you want to embrace.
Using AI in your workflows will feel awkward at first. And the results you get may not be exactly what you would expect.
Which is why you need to use your curiosity to fuel your efforts, to try different approaches, different tools, different ways of prompting; until you find the one that works for your use case and team size.
Assume that you know very little, and that the conventions you have followed for years may actually not be as effective anymore.
Everyone is a junior in this, and so are you.
Battle “AI anxiety”
If you feel anxious because you aren’t using AI yet, please know that you are not alone.
Everyone feels the same way.
If statements such as “Someone knowing AI will replace you”, “You need to quit what you are doing today and move to AI” or “[X tool] is dead” are getting to you, please hear me when I say with complete confidence that they are fear mongering clickbait posts that purely aim to drive impressions and engagement.
Yes, tools will change, and our processes will change too.
Yes, I think you should embrace that change in a gradual way.
But change doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s much more nuanced than people make it to be.
Like every big technological revolution, it can feel overwhelming to have all these new tools and areas to explore.
But you have plenty of time to get up to speed, gradually familiarize yourself and ultimately find your way throughout this industry shift.
Most importantly…
…It’s a daily jog, not a sprint
Remember that this is not a race.
It’s not a sprint.
It’s not even a marathon.
The best way that you can think about it is like a daily jog that you gradually add to your routine.
Take it slow.
Start small, make a bit of progress every week.
Try out different things and see what works for you.
Familiarize yourself with different tools. Try things out, little by little every day.
The first few days will be difficult, perhaps overwhelming even.
But after a few weeks in doing so, you will start getting clarity on how it fits your workflow. Prompting will feel more natural. You’ll become better at following-up, asking more precise questions, getting more effective results quicker and even from multiple tools at once.
Most importantly, remember that you aren’t aiming to master one tool here; as the tools of today will change rapidly over the next few years.
All you should be trying to do is gradually build your confidence with this new paradigm.
We are all in this together
Whether we are talking about a recent graduate or a seasoned, 10+ year design leader, we are all new to using AI.
And we are all going through this change together.
If you are someone new to design, this might feel scary, but it also presents an unprecedented opportunity for you.
The industry is going through a reset.
Some of the skills and workflows we have spent years in evolving and perfecting aren’t all that relevant anymore.
And even though design thinking is more relevant than ever, the way that we tackle it in a practical way is changing.
Ultimately, in one way or another, we are all starting from scratch.
‘s article below summarizes things very well and reflects a lot of what I’m feeling at the moment.
Closing statement & looking forward
As a closing statement, let me share that I feel so incredibly energized and inspired with this technological shift.
I can’t wait to explore areas that I couldn’t before, to build microproducts and side hustles, to improve my speed and efficiency as both a leader and practitioner.
Most importantly, I think and truly hope that we will see a new generation of design entrepreneurs forming, generalists that can think, design and build end-to-end. Some of them will apply these skills in high-growth businesses, others will venture out and create their own.
Regardless of the path you choose to follow, I’m certain it will be an exciting one.
Thanks for making it till the end. I really hope you enjoyed this series of posts; it has been one of the most fascinating pieces I have ever written, and I learned and reflected on so many things as I was writing and editing every article. A lot of what has been shared in this series is likely to change in the next years; I’ll do my best to keep up with the changes and update everything as I go.
Universe is mental, and our best way to stay focused, is to stay calm.