Accelerating Design with AI
AI-First Design Process
AI doesn't replace design thinking—it compresses the path from idea to testable prototype. I've developed an AI-first design process and now teach teams how to do the same.
The Shift
Design used to have a handoff problem. Designers created static mockups, then waited for engineering to build something testable. Feedback loops were slow. Ideas died in the gap between vision and implementation.
AI tools like Claude Code, Cursor, and Zed have changed this. Designers can now go from concept to functional prototype in hours, not weeks. But most teams don't know how to integrate these tools into their process without losing design quality.
My Approach: AI-First Design
AI-first doesn't mean AI-only. It means using AI to accelerate the parts of design that benefit from speed, while protecting the parts that require human judgment.
Rapid Prototyping
Use AI to generate functional prototypes early. Test with real interactions, not static screens. Fail faster, learn faster.
Design Decisions Stay Human
AI generates options. Humans choose direction. The craft of design—understanding users, making trade-offs, maintaining coherence—remains fundamentally human work.
Iteration Over Perfection
When prototypes are cheap to create, you can explore more ideas. The goal shifts from "get it right the first time" to "learn what right looks like."
Applied at Bibel TV
As Head of Product Design at Bibel TV, I'm applying this approach to redesign apps across mobile and TV ecosystems:
- Design System with AI — Establishing a design system while using AI to accelerate component development and documentation
- Cross-Platform Prototyping — Testing interactions on mobile, tablet, and TV before committing to full implementation
- Faster Stakeholder Alignment — Showing working prototypes instead of explaining static mockups
The result: tighter feedback loops, more exploration, and better final products.
Teaching Others
I now lead trainings helping design teams adopt AI-first workflows:
- Hands-On Workshops — Designers leave with working prototypes, not just theory
- Tool Selection — Claude Code for complex logic, Zed/VSCode for quick iterations, when to use what
- Quality Control — How to maintain design standards when AI is generating code
- Team Integration — How AI-first design changes the designer-engineer relationship
Core Principles
AI is a Tool, Not a Replacement
The designers who thrive with AI are the ones with strong fundamentals. AI amplifies skill—it doesn't substitute for it.
Speed Enables Quality
Counterintuitively, faster prototyping leads to better designs. You can test more ideas, catch problems earlier, and refine based on real feedback.
Stay Skeptical, Stay Current
AI tools evolve weekly. What works today may be obsolete tomorrow. The skill is learning how to learn, not mastering any single tool.