Rethinking the Role of Design in the Age of Gen AI

Image by Pawel Czerwinski

The State of Play

Let's set the record straight: Design has always been far more than a marriage of form and function. It's about business value, strategic thinking, human insights, processes and operations improvements, and above all, crafting experiences that resonate with users. But now, generative AI is prompting a fundamental shift in how we approach design. We're no longer just in the business of making tangible or digital things. Instead, we're orchestrating interactions with intelligent systems that are capable of learning, adapting, and evolving. This isn't just a new chapter; it's a whole new book.

Personas are no longer limited to being human; they can also represent Planet or a GenAI agent.

From Specific Use-Cases to Human-Centred Systems

Every technology starts off solving a particular problem. But as it matures and becomes more integrated into our lives, the focus shifts towards humanising the technology. We've seen this before, and AI is no different.

The challenge now is not just to make AI work, but to make it work for people. This is where design comes in.

The Gap in Tools and Leadership

We're in uncharted territory. Our conventional design tools, processes, and even leadership are falling short in addressing the nuances of AI technologies. It's no longer enough to map out user journeys or create wireframes, but also understand processes, operations, and interactions that can leverage AI.

Businesses will need AI Transformation Roadmaps. We require a new toolkit, a new play book. One that helps us understand not just human-to-screen interactions, but also human-to-algorithm interactions.

Beyond Backstage Operations

AI is not just a backstage actor automating tasks; it's becoming the frontman in customer service, healthcare, and even in our daily conversations. This calls for a new layer of design thinking that goes beyond aesthetics and usability. We need to consider how design fits into a complex system that involves not only technology but also cultural, ethical, and business dimensions.

Business, Technology and Socioeconomic Factors

Design has always been a dynamic field, deeply entwined with changes in socioeconomic conditions, business landscapes, and technological advancements. From focusing on sustainability and inclusivity to adapting to remote collaboration in the wake of the pandemic, design has been fluid, constantly redefining its scope and methods.

Over the last two decades, we've seen specialisations within design expand immensely.

We've moved from the realms of graphic, visual, and communication design into newer territories like user research and experience design. And it's not just about creating digital products any more. Design has earned its seat at the C-Level table, with a mandate to shape services, business models, and even entire systems.

The Urgency of Now

We can't afford to be complacent. As AI continues to evolve, the way we approach design needs to keep pace. Waiting for a full set of best practices to emerge is a luxury we don't have. Design leaders need to be proactive in shaping how AI will fit into our world, considering its long-term impact from multiple angles: social, economic, ethical, and beyond.

So, what's next in this age of Gen AI and LLMs?

1. From User-Centric to Ecosystem-Centric
   As AI and LLMs become more integrated into our lives, the design focus will shift from individual user experiences to the broader ecosystem of human-AI interactions. This goes beyond making an app or a website user-friendly; it's about making the whole system work harmoniously.
   
   
2. Ethics and Accountability
   The power and scale of AI introduce new ethical complexities that designers will have to navigate. Design ethics will move beyond usability and accessibility to encompass fairness, transparency, and data privacy.
   
   
3. Interdisciplinary Collaboration
   Designers will increasingly need to collaborate with data scientists, AI specialists, and ethicists to create experiences that are both technologically feasible and humanly desirable.
   
   
4. Adaptability Over Perfection
   Given the self-learning and evolving nature of AI, static design solutions will be replaced by adaptable frameworks that can evolve over time, much like the technology they are designed for.
   
   
5. Strategic Impact
   Designers will not just be problem-solvers, but also strategic advisors. They will engage in defining not just how a system should work but why it should exist in the first place.

Final Thoughts

If we want to be future-ready, we need to act now. This is not just a technology transformation; it's a design transformation. And it calls for a multidisciplinary approach that involves everyone from business leaders to technologists, anthropologists to ethicists. It's time to expand the role of design to meet the complexities of the modern world, especially in the realm of AI.

We're in a unique position to shape the future; let's not waste it.