INTRO TO AI PRODUCT DESIGN

Kick off the course by meeting your instructor and exploring what lies ahead. You'll get a clear roadmap of the course structure, goals, and what’s expected—so you can hit the ground running.

• Instructor introduction
• Course objectives & flow
• Q&A

Learn the fundamentals of AI and how it can become your creative partner. Explore human-centered design principles where user needs shape AI-driven innovation. See how data, models, and design interfaces come together to craft meaningful AI products.

• Human-centered design
• AI product lifecycle
• Design, data, models, & interfaces
• Tool Demo: Using GPT + Figma AI plugins to reimagine a flawed AI product

Assignment #1: Critique an AI product and propose an improved user-centric prototype using AI tools.

Get familiar with the core Machine Learning concepts essential for designers. Distinguish supervised and unsupervised learning, build simple prediction models, and learn how to weave ML into practical design solutions that enhance user experiences.

• ML fundamentals
• Teachable Machine & Gradio
• Workshop: Designing around ML model capabilities & limitations

Assignment #2: Build a basic predictive experience using a templated AI model and reflect on the UX implications.

Jump into prompt engineering and harness the power of generative AI tools to rapidly prototype design ideas. Experiment with leading platforms like MidJourney, GPTs, and Uizard to bring your creative vision to life fast.

• Prompt engineering: Design & prototyping
• Tools Demo: MidJourney, GPTs, D-ID, Visily, Uizard
• Workshop: Rapid concept gen for your capstone project

Assignment #3: Create UI mockups and copy using GenAI tools for your capstone project.

Discover UI patterns tailored for AI’s dynamic nature—suggestions, corrections, and adaptive interfaces. Use Figma plugins to prototype multi-modal interactions combining text, images, and voice for smarter user journeys.

• UI patterns for AI
• Figma Plugins in action
• Workshop: Prototyping multi-modal interactions

Assignment #4: Prototype a functional dynamic interaction using available AI design tools.

Explore the ethics of AI design—addressing bias, privacy, and inclusivity. Equip yourself with tools to anticipate risks and embed ethical thinking into every product decision.

• Ethical considerations for AI
• Bias, privacy, inclusion
• Risk anticipation toolkit
• Workshop: Redesign a flawed AI concept with ethics-first thinking

Assignment #5: Ethically critique and redesign a flawed AI product.

Learn how to set clear, measurable goals for AI products, balancing technical precision and user experience. Define key performance indicators and validation metrics that will guide your design process.

• Setting measurable goals
• Success metrics: Precision vs. experience
• Workshop: Define capstone KPIs & UX validation metrics

Assignment #6: Map outcomes and user signals that your capstone prototype should optimize for.

Get a gist on how information architecture and data shape AI behavior. Align user flows with model logic to build AI experiences that feel intuitive and seamless.

• AI behavior: IA & data
• User flows & model logic
• Workshop: Mapping capstone info flows & edge cases

Assignment #7: Build an AI flowchart and scenario map for your concept.

Learn to build working AI prototypes quickly using low-code platforms like Replit, Python notebooks, and Framer. Combine AI assistants and APIs to bring your ideas to life without heavy coding.

• Tools Demo: Replit, Python notebooks, ChatGPT Assistants API, Framer
• Workshop: "Vibe code" a functioning prototype

Assignment #8: Create your first working capstone prototype using a low-code or AI-assisted tool.

Design holistic user journeys integrating multimodal inputs and agentic AI that acts on the user’s behalf. Focus on micro-interactions and feedback to craft seamless AI-driven experiences.

• Multimodal user journeys
• Agentic design
• Workshop: Define micro-interactions & feedback for your capstone UX

Assignment #9: Build flow wireframes simulating AI responses or decisions.

Peek behind the scenes of AI product architecture: retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), APIs, and prompt chaining. Learn to tune prompts and build guardrails for controlled AI outputs.

• RAG, APIs, model parameters
• Prompt chaining, API stitching & concept walkthroughs
• Workshop: Controlled outputs 

Assignment #10: Design and test an interaction using chained prompts or an open-source API.

Master research methods tailored for AI UX, including leveraging AI for persona creation and research synthesis. Run rapid feedback loops to validate and refine your concepts.

• AI UX research methods
• Research synthesis & persona generation
• Workshop: Run a quick test or feedback loop on your capstone experience

Assignment #11: Validate your capstone concept with user input and/or AI-driven analysis.

Learn to effectively present AI designs, communicating limitations, probabilities, and risks. Navigate collaboration challenges between designers, engineers, and product managers.

• Design reviews
• Collaborative friction
• Workshop: Capstone review preparation

Assignment #12: Prepare your review story—strategy, ethics, goals, experience, and prototype.

Showcase your functional AI product design concepts in live presentations. Receive valuable feedback from instructors and peers, and reflect on your design journey from idea to prototype.

• Student presentations
• Instructor & peer feedback
• Reflection on process

Explore career paths in AI product design, from AI UX to prompt engineering and product management. Learn how to build a compelling portfolio and hear insights from a guest industry expert.

• Portfolio-building
• AI roles
• Guest Speaker
• Course wrap-up & what’s next