As AI tools increasingly participate in research, ideation, synthesis, and product development, UX teams face a fundamental question: which parts of discovery should remain human-driven, which should be AI-assisted, and which should never be automated?
This interactive workshop explores the evolving relationship between human expertise and AI systems within UX discovery and strategic product design. Participants will work in teams to rethink and redesign a familiar product ecosystem inspired by the decline of Skype and the evolution of communication platforms.
Using a strategic design board, tactical activity cards, and AI-enabled discovery mechanics, teams will navigate different phases of the UX Discovery process – from research and synthesis to information architecture, system modeling, and validation. Throughout the workshop, participants will continuously decide whether activities should be performed manually, collaboratively with AI, or fully delegated to AI systems.
The workshop introduces concepts such as:
- Human vs AI ownership
- Context vs content
- Output vs outcome
- Speed vs understanding
- Automation vs expertise
- Cognitive debt and AI over-reliance
Rather than focusing on prompts or specific tools, the workshop examines how UX professionals can design healthier, more transparent, and more intentional collaboration models with AI.
Key Outcomes & Takeaways
Participants will:
- Learn frameworks for integrating AI into UX workflows
- Understand the strengths and limitations of AI-assisted discovery
- Explore the future role of designers, researchers, and strategists
- Experience practical trade-offs between speed, quality, trust, and expertise
- Develop a more intentional approach toward automation in product design
