Humanity over automation
Navigating AI's role in design discipleship.
Designers can acquire AI abilities and use analogous approaches as UX investigators. Acknowledging that agony is part of the design procedure, designers should select what difficulties they are able to accept to accomplish their aims. Furthermore, they can take on intangible lessons from experienced individuals in order to become leaders themselves.
In this consumerist era, the idea of chiseling away a block to create art is becoming less relevant. Instead, people prefer quick, cheaper solutions and are more likely to read articles offering advice on how AI can make life better than ever before. GPT-4 is just one example of automation tools that are increasingly being used for quickly editing videos, removing backgrounds as well as constructing websites and native apps. We have now entered a fast food culture not just with regard to eating but also creating.
The singularity?
These days can be tumultuous. The temptation of quick and easy answers from Chat GPT can take us to unexplored territories or even greater accomplishments. However, the risk of relying on artificial intelligence as an instructor is a slippery slope that needs to be taken into account. As we ask and answer questions, we strive for increasingly precise outcomes but may not realize that the LLM could be a novice, an experienced user or anywhere in between.
Undeniably, with "Singularity" suggesting a human civilization based on unfaltering technological progress, it's not hard to fathom the possibility of artificial intelligence surpassing human intellect. In fact, according to Google’s Director of Engineering, Ray Kurzweil, 2029 is the predicted year for AI to reach a level similar to humans when passing the Turing test. From then on, merging collective intelligence by 2045 would exponentially amplify our capabilities. Indeed, this falls into the lifetime of those who emerged during the Internet era.
There is a choice to be made
Even with the advent of AI, as designers we must decide how to use it. We shouldn't rely solely on tech, but acknowledge the importance of what being human entails. We may be challenged by being humans; however, these hardships provide opportunities for growth and learning from others. Whilst current decisions shape our future, it's our responsibility to make the right ones for ourselves.
Get Smart like a UX researcher by asking smart questions
In 2023, be aware of the boundaries of artificial intelligence. Don't have an overly abstractized idea of its potential. Even the fabled genie had rules: you only get three wishes. Unfortunately, the same isn't true for AI and it is possible to become entangled in your own ideas while using these models that generate natural-sounding responses. We humans tend to focus on a single concept and while there are safeguards within LLM to make sure ethics remain respected, AIs don’t have the capacity to offer any alternate points of view unless explicitly told so.
Fortunately, guides are increasingly being made available for learners to pick up new AI skills. Through Microsoft's Semantic Kernel documentation, John Maeda, VP of Design and Artificial Intelligence, assists in this effort. There are a few applicable principles in place, known as the Schillace Law of Semantic AI. Here is one of them:
As emerging LLM AI models become more sophisticated, they lack context and initiative. If you ask them a simple or open-ended question, you will get a simple or generic answer back. The question has to be more intelligent if you want more detail and refinement. "Garbage in, garbage out" is echoed here.
Often, UX researchers practice these thoughts. Simple, closed-ended questions lead to simple, closed-ended answers. Leading questions yield one-sided answers. Because asking great questions isn't enough to get the best responses in an in-depth interview. It takes a series of connected questions, context, provocative probing, and perspective-taking. UX researchers have the ability to design prompts, and it doesn't happen overnight.
Growth metrics based on pain
In the field of design, we strive to create user satisfaction, but must not ignore the challenges and difficulties that come with the creative process too. Being human means not only enjoying rewards, but also suffering for them. Passion and results may drive us to create countless flows and endless iterations of screens, but there is also pain and hard work involved.
The key question is this: which pain are you willing to endure? The pain we experience often leads to greater and more value-based outcomes. Aren't designers supposed to solve problems? So, living our work free of problems with artificial intelligence doesn't help us develop the character we need.
It was once said by Mark Manson: "We love taking responsibility for success and happiness... But taking responsibility for our problems is much more important, because that's where the real learning comes from." His New York Times best-selling book contains many other pearls of wisdom.
There should not be a metric for designers based on how smart they are or how many good ideas they have. The better metric would be: “How many ideas or attempts have I failed at?” or “How much pain have I experienced in my growth?” This will give some of these ideas a chance to succeed. That’s where creativity lies.
Shu-ha-ri mastery
Learning requires seeking advice from those with more experience and wisdom. The word "disciple" can be paralleled with martial arts. One of the most well-known disciple-master relationships is that of Bruce Lee, an acclaimed martial artist and actor who trained under Wing Chun master Ip Man in Hong Kong. Not only did he influence performers, but he also created his own fighting philosophy through Jeet Kune Do. His pupils not just followed his teachings, but attended to them in various ways, with plenty of exercise and endurance necessary for that transition (is it worth dedicating your life to martial arts?!). Alternatively, one might get a degree to enter a specific job field.
Massimo and Lella Vignelli established themselves as the masters in the field of design. Michael Bierut, a renowned graphic designer and partner at Pentagram, was their student for over a decade, often referring to them as his “adoptive parents.” Through this period of mentorship, Bierut benefited from both their creative insight and personal values, learning how to make decisive decisions coupled with appreciation for simplicity and clarity that can be seen in some of their greatest designs. Ultimately, it is no wonder why Massimo and Lella Vignelli are regarded by many as among the greatest graphic designers of all time.
Shu-Ha-Ri, inspired by Japanese martial arts, is a learning framework for adopting discipleship.
The three stages are as follows:
Shu(守): This is the stage where one respects and follows traditional wisdom. Fundamentals, techniques and heuristics should be learnt from a master and adhered to.Ha(破): This phase encourages freedom from such rules; having mastered the basics, experimentation can begin in earnest. Bruce Lee famously challenged the conventions of Wing Chun, while Michael Bierut used various mediums in graphic design.Ri(離): When arriving at this stage of transcendence, the learner is able to create their own path; they become the master with new pupils continuing on the cycle afresh.For Beirut, it was an exploration that enabled him to pave his own way in creating impressive designs.
The word "disciple" may be outdated, but there are still useful lessons to be drawn from the concept of commitment. In an age of ever-accelerating design processes, automation and AI can offer speedy solutions and results, yet they lack the understanding or motivation that can only come with an actual human touch. Designers must acknowledge the importance of being human and leverage AI as an asset rather than treating it as a substitute. They can hone their AI capabilities and apply similar methods such as UX research. Becoming a master designer involves going through some difficult experiences; thus, designers must decide which tribulations they are willing to bear in order to accomplish their desired results. On top of that, they must gain wisdom from experienced professionals to become masters themselves.
We can use AI to enhance creativity and understanding, but let's not forget the suffering and pain that come with it.
For further reading, see:
The Art of Shu Ha Ri in Scrum. [online] Available at: https://resources.scrumalliance.org/Article/art-shu-ha-ri-scrum [Accessed 7 April 2023].
[Online] Learn.microsoft.com. Available at: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/semantic-kernel/howto/schillacelaws [Accessed 7 April 2023].
The subtle art of not giving a fuck : a counterintuitive approach to living a good life. New York, NY: Harperluxe, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
[online] Mark Manson. Available at: https://markmanson.net/why-growth-requires-struggle [Accessed 7 April 2023].
[online] Futurism. Available at: https://futurism.com/kurzweil-claims-that-the-singularity-will-happen-by-2045. Reedy, C. (2017). Kurzweil Claims That the Singularity Will Happen by 2045.
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