WELCOME
Being Designerly 121 has curated content at the intersection of Design, Tech and Human-AI to help you be more creative and designerly.
The secret to being a future-proof designer isn't about fearing AI.
It's about embracing it.
AI is changing design in big ways, but the core of good design stays the same.
Designers must adapt and grow.
AI can handle tactical tasks, but it can't replace human creativity and judgment.
To thrive, designers need to deepen their skills and focus on what makes them unique.
Here’s how to evolve:
- Embrace New Tools: Learn to use AI tools that can speed up your workflow. Experiment with them in your projects to see what works best.
- Focus on Human Skills: Communication and original thinking are key. These skills will set you apart in a world where AI does the heavy lifting.
- Stay Curious: Always seek knowledge about AI and its impact on design. Keep learning to keep your skills sharp.
- Adapt to Change: Be ready to shift your mindset when new information comes in. Flexibility is crucial in a fast-changing field.
Design isn't dead.
It's evolving.
The future belongs to those who can blend technology with human insight.
Stay ahead by being adaptable and open to new ideas.
FEATURE
The Future-Proof Designer
AI is reshaping product development by automating tactical design tasks, accelerating feature production, and surfacing patterns in data at unprecedented speeds. However, the core principles of UX and product design remain unchanged, and AI amplifies their importance in many ways. To stay indispensable, designers must evolve: adapt to new workflows, deepen their judgment, and double down on the uniquely human skills that AI can’t replace. Being Designerly, anyone?
nngroup.com
Design is not dead—evolving for sure, but most certainly not dying. (LinkedIn)
Bob Baxley on LinkedIn: "We’re rapidly moving to a job market where the most valuable and sought-after skills are less about tactical production (Figma, prototyping, coding, etc.) and more about carbon-based competencies like communication, conceptual positioning, and original thinking. "
Read the post + the discussion
linkedin.com
CURIOSITY
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Generative AI changing work and jobs
If you don't make it toward the end of Jassy's message on Jun 17, you will miss this:
"As we roll out more Generative AI and agents, it should change the way our work is done. We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs. It’s hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company.
As we go through this transformation together, be curious about AI, educate yourself, attend workshops and take trainings, use and experiment with AI whenever you can, participate in your team’s brainstorms to figure out how to invent for our customers more quickly and expansively, and how to get more done with scrappier teams.
aboutamazon.com
LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman admits what you learn during college may not matter—it’s this skill that can help Gen Z land entry-level jobs | Fortune
LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman says what young people learn in college isn’t the most important thing in landing a job. Being able to leverage AI tools, tackle new labor market challenges, and leverage connections is more essential for Gen Z seeking employment.
Reid also calls out the designerly behavior of always learning
fortune.com
CRITICAL THINKING
Teaching AI models what they don’t know | MIT News
Tired of AI hallucinations? Themis AI, an MIT spinout, has developed the Capsa platform to address the issue of AI systems like ChatGPT providing confident but potentially unreliable answers. Capsa enhances machine learning models by detecting and correcting uncertain or biased outputs quickly, helping reduce risks in critical applications such as drug development and autonomous driving.
mit.edu
Steve Jobs told Apple CEO Tim Cook: Never to stay ‘married’ to ...,
Apple CEO Tim Cook credits Steve Jobs with teaching him a crucial skill: the ability to rapidly change one’s mind when presented with new evidence, a trait tied to strong emotional intelligence.
indiatimes.com
VISUAL
Visualization: The Smartest AI Models, by IQ
Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the smartest AI of them all?
Artificial intelligence is designed to be intelligent. But how do today’s leading AI models stack up in human IQ terms, and which ones are the smartest? This infographic ranks the smartest AI models based on their performance on the Mensa Norway IQ test, with data compiled by Tracking AI.
visualcapitalist.com
UX
What is Phygital design, and why is it everywhere right now?
“Phygital” refers to any design that blends the physical and the digital — AR packaging, VR pop-ups, immersive storefronts, you name it. Imagine walking into a store and seeing a cake box that talks back. Or a deodorant can that launches a video game. Or a mirror that shows you how that jacket actually looks from behind. Experiment with new tech, but start with a user problem or need instead of starting with technology - Being Designerly behavior #1 is to Put People First.
creativebloq.com
