AI impact at different Levels

This is a collection of rough thoughts regarding how AI will impact different levels of designers.

We’re going to talk about the impact on design teams at each level. I’m also looking at this as two major categories of change. First, the impact on the individual designer. Then, the impact to the design process. I’ll have more on the design process at a later date, but as far as this goes, as far as impact on the levels, we are talking about the impact on the process from a technical standpoint; what are the steps in the process, how are they handled technically, what files get produced, and so on.

So, let’s break down individual and process impact of AI at each level…

Entry level is getting squeezed by task automation
Mid level is facing raising expectations
Leadership level needs to shape the conversation
Some tips

Entry Level

Entry Level folks have a few key responsibilities.

Learning the real-life process of designing, delivering. A significant part of the entry is also the responsibility to learn the process of designing in a professional environment and in doing so, connecting with collaborators from other professions. For instance, learning to work with a product manager or engineer
There’s also a lot of work that is doing first drafts, then refining slowly or someone else steps in to tune it up
Taking instructions and being a team player. This means an entry level person succeeds is where they are fast at the Production work, but they also bring with it thoughtfulness, empathy, collaboration, and self awareness.

A lot of AI impact will be felt at the entry level because of the proportion of their work that is production-driven. That’s the story: AI is replacing young grads. A NYT article from August 10th says entry level hiring in software engineering has fallen precipitously. Here’s a staggering quotation:

Among college graduates ages 22 to 27, computer science and computer engineering majors are facing some of the highest unemployment rates, 6.1 percent and 7.5 percent respectively, according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That is more than double the unemployment rate among recent biology and art history graduates, which is just 3 percent.

OK, can we take a minute to hear it for the Art History grads?

The article goes on to describe that students who just graduated are particularly hard hit because in many case colleges are just now starting to teach AI coding tools, which are the most sought after skills.

Going back to design, the story’s not going to be much different and it sounds bleak. It’s a generational shift and there is a window of people, young people who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. These are folks who had early high school days shut down by the pandemic and they’ve absorbed a lot of volatility and change. Graduating into a job market that is imploding onto itself is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone–and I’m saying that as someone who graduated right into the post-9/11 economy.

However, there is no obstacle for anyone at any level to deliver the other kind of value that comes with collaboration, thoughtfulness, and empathy.

The importance of these skills, so so important, typicaly called soft skills, this is glimmer of light in the ability to differentiate yourself on soft skills, critical thinking, and collaboration. At the end of the day, I’m also excited to see folks at this level, but it’s going to be rough in the near term. Starting from scratch is like medicine–tastes like shit, but it’s good for you in the long run.

Mid-level

At this level, you have learned the process and you have some production skills down pat. You are starting to gain some clout with other stakeholders and collaborators.

You are also expected to have a relatively strong sense of self-awareness and collaboration with others. Folks at this level can be trusted to manage others, such as running a meeting.

Your team will look to you to be highly experimental. You will be at the forefront of testing, evaluating, and adopting new tools to accelerate the workflow.

You need to get to know new tools as early as yesterday. The day to adopt AI-driven tooling, and quickly, has past.

Your position in the middle of the team actually gives you the most leverage. Since you can see the process from end to end, you need to assess that process and move into the realm of automation.

If you define an understanding of how to improve the process, and you bring others along with you for the need to do so, you will have a huge impact downward to the Junior folks, laterally to your fellow designers, and upward to Leadership.

You’re being be tasked with ingenuity in two directions

Designing for experiences that include AI
Using AI to accelerate the design process

For designing experiences that include AI, the first step is to learn more about how AI works and how the outputs that come from interfacing with AI can impact your users.

Then, map out a product experience and think think about how something like an Agent or an automation with built in prompting can be used to streamline the product experience.

There is an emerging field in this regard known as Applied AI, which I’ll talk about more in the future.

For accelerating the design process, as a product designer, you already have a lot of the skills to identify where AI is and isn’t useful. Map out the workflow for your and all the systems in it. Service Blueprints are a great way to do this. Assess each part of the process and try to break it down to its individual components. Now, consider re-composing the process but with the AI tools that can help that process.

Being the designer of the design process is key, and mid-level or journeyman designers, you’re in the best place to do that.

Also, as noted for Entry Level colleagues, you can really level up by investing in your own soft skills. Can you communicate the value of what you’re doing with people outside your profession? Can you facilitate workshops and conversations that contributue to the process? Can you run meetings, guide others, and elevate other people’s engagement in the process? These are, again, the thngs that AI is not going to do for us, and an area where we need to concentrate our level of expertise.

Leadership

This is probably the level that will have the greaterst and most outsized impact on the profession.

Leaders bear the responsibility (but not the ony contriburto) for shaping the culture and values of an organization. Eveyone contributes, but leadership carries the responsibility.

So… now your profession and the people who report to you are facing an existential disruption. Which way are you going to go? In short, there are two paths to choose based on newfound capacity.

Are you going to increase capacity so significantly, and unlock the potential of your team to do more and make a profoundly greater impact? Are you going to overtake other roles in the company with that increased capacity?

Are your going to maintain your capacity but reduce the headcount?

Can you empower your team to refine their workflows, to find efficiencies and enhance their process?

The answer has to be yes.

Tips

At the entry level, two things

It’s a freakishly good time for entrepreneurial experimentation. Come up with 3-5 projects and start hacking away. Adopt the process of mapping out a workflow, then designing it, then vibe coding it. Then, find a way to test/validate it. How can you do it as quickly as possible? Where does the process break down or create errors?
- You could use a prompt like a Job To Be Done for something in your life, or something that would help someone you know.
Find that way to present yourself elevating communication skills, collaboration, and critical thinking. These things are sometimes best communicated by media other than graphic design or UX design deliverables, so explore writing, content creation of other kinds.
Learn everything you can about AI. I have heard some chatter that entry level people who can demonstrate true fluency with native AI tools will be in increasing demand. Try every tool in every part of your design process. But more importantly, go further than just the tools. Really learn to speak the language. If you are concerned about the ethics of its use or the environmental impact, learn everything you can about that from reputable sources.

I also want to acknowledge… this is a tough time for the Entry Level folks in product, design, and software engineering. No one has gone through what you’re going through before, so whatever you choose to do, if you really give it focus, is probably the right idea.

For mid-level, journeyman designers

Do what the entry level is doing, then expand into two key areas…

Really own the process. Shape the process based on what you learn, and what you learn from others. Frame up the process and explain why it works, why one tool is more important than the others. And explore the use of more sophisticated and powerful tooling going beyond something like quick design mockups or quick prompts–start messing around with custom GPTs, Agents, and more powerful automations.
Bring others along with you. Your ability to facilitate work with others will be more important now than ever. All of your stakeholders and fellow designers are looking for anything and anyone who knows what they’re talking about, any form of knowledge that they can use to establish a shared set of facts.
First off, get familiar with what AI is capable of. spoiler: More than just chat. It’s not a bad time to take a class, if that’s how you learn best. MIT pro | Stanford

For Leadership

Help the team prioritize what elements of their work and process can be improved by adopting new tools
Set the standard for critique; provide guidance to those who lead critique that it’s being run properly, that the process ultimately improves the work
Model a practice of advocacy for your team; Set the stage for the team to hype each other up; set up public forums to showcase their work. Guide your team on how to present their work and explain their process in ways that people outside your function can understand.
Revisit the job leveling for your org; define what is expected at each title; get feedback from trusted members of the team and other leaders; communicate out that leveling ladder
Define the change and make sure the team addresses it as a team, not cast to the wind to figure it out on their own
Coach and mentor the team one on one to reaffirm their strengths and work on weaknesses, this can help guide their ability to focus on those soft skills and develop accordingly