AI + UX: Tools for Every Part of The Design Process

Let me just start with, after 10+ years in this field, I've seen a lot of tools come and go. With that said, nothing has changed my workflow quite like AI.

It enables me to focus less on repetitive and computational tasks, and more on the creative and strategic aspects of my work. 

I've been experimenting with these tools in my day-to-day, and I want to share what's actually working, and what I’m looking forward to exploring next.

Research & Discovery: Let AI Do the Heavy Lifting

Favorites: Figjam AI, Gemini, Claude, Notion AI, and ChatGPT

What I  want to learn next: Dovetail AI for summarizing results

We all know the pain of sifting through hundreds of user comments.

Recently, my team conducted some user testing around a new feature within onboarding. We performed some unmoderated tests on usertesting.com, and instead of spending days manually analyzing feedback, I fed 15 interview transcriptions into Figjam AI and had it summarize the user feedback into actionable bullet points. This freed us up to actually understand why these issues mattered to users, and brainstorm ways to make the experience even better.

For competitive research, Gemini, Claude, Notion AI, and ChatGPT (to name just a few) can provide a structured breakdown in minutes. For my recent project, I used Claude to compare onboarding between my company and 9 competitor apps—then spent my energy on the stuff that matters: the feel, the emotional impact, and applicable flows that work with other squads’ projects–the things AI can't evaluate.

Ideation: Break Through Creative Blocks

Favorites: Figjam AI, Notion AI

Ever stared at a blank screen, feeling the pressure to come up with brilliant concepts? Yeah, me too.

Individual and team brainstorming sessions have leveled up with Figjam AI. (I’ve heard the same about Miro AI as well.) During a recent workshop, we used Figjam AI to generate starter ideas that the team then built upon. Their output can be hit or miss, which is to be expected from a Beta product, but the hits are worth it. 

Another secret weapon: Notion AI for uncovering edge cases and opportunities. For adding a notification opt in page in registration, it helped us target the best time to encourage users to opt in to receiving notifications so that they can better achieve their health goals. I still had to evaluate and test which opportunities were the most likely to be successful, but it cast a much wider net than our team would have on our own.

UI/UX Design: From Hours to Minutes

Standouts: Galileo AI, Uizard, Stark

This is where I’ve explored the least, as I’m working within a design system in my current design position and am pretty quick at whipping up new designs myself at this point. 

Galileo AI and Uizard don't replace thoughtful design—but they can help in initiating UI and UX design ideas. For a data dashboard project, I generated initial wireframes in minutes. Were they perfect? No. But they gave me a starting point that I could refine based on what I know about our users.

For accessibility, Stark appears to be a powerful tool for catching things a designer might miss when in the flow. As one example, it can automatically flag contrast issues and suggest alternatives that still work with your brand colors.

And if we’re talking visual design, Figma’s AI Beta is pretty handy with editing photos.

Content: Kickstart content strategy and copy ideas

Favorites: Copy.ai and Claude.ai

Struggling with anything from microcopy to content strategy? Copy.ai and Claude.ai have saved me countless hours generating variations of error messages, button labels, and instructions. They also come up with great content strategy frameworks that help generate ideas. Either my UX writer or I still pick the final wording and/or strategy based on our brand voice, but having options makes the process so much faster.

Honorable mention: if you’re working within Figma, and want a quick rewrite, Figma’s AI Beta can do a pretty good job with that too.

Prototyping & Testing: No More Technical Roadblocks

Favorite for easy html: Claude.ai

What I’m checking out: v0, Grain, advancements in Figma’s AI

The most exciting part about AI for me has been removing technical limitations from my process. I recently used Claude.ai to write and edit html for a Braze modal within an app and was amazed at the accuracy. 

I am excited to explore V0 next, as it can turn Figma mockups into working React prototypes without waiting for developer resources. This could mean getting real user feedback weeks earlier than usual.

After user testing sessions, Grain can automatically transcribe and highlight key moments where users got confused or excited. I’ve seen this to an extent within usertesting.com, but am curious to see if Grain can get more specific.

The Bottom Line:

Stay in the Driver’s Seat with AI

As long as you can stay up to date with the latest AI, you can view it as an asset, not a threat. I've found that the best approach is simple: let AI handle the repetitive, computational stuff, and save your energy for what humans do best—empathy, creativity, and judgment.