AI built into the workflow, not bolted on top

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I've been integrating AI into my design practice for over a year now. Not as a side experiment, but woven into the actual workflows I use for client work every day. I'm constantly looking at where I'm spending time and asking whether AI can take on the repeatable parts so I can focus on the parts that need my judgment


I'm someone who constantly tries to improve processes and find ways to templatize so I'm not wasting time on things that don't need me. AI has become the biggest lever for that, but it took real experimentation to figure out where it actually helps and where it doesn't.

HOW I WORK
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Workflow first, tools second

Before reaching for any tool, the real question is where time is going. Is it going toward creative decisions and client nuance that need a human, or toward research gathering, formatting, and status updates? That distinction shapes everything.

Reusable systems, not one-off prompts

Claude skills, Figma templates, and automations that the whole team can use. Meeting transcripts that update project tickets automatically. Brand rules codified so AI-assisted output stays on-brand. The systems keep working whether or not the person who built them is the one running them.

Honest about where it falls short

My competitor audit process went through a version where Claude handled the whole thing, and the output missed context that a designer would have caught, especially on the branding side. That experience was more valuable than the successes. Now the workflows are designed so AI and human judgment each handle the part they're best at.

Better for clients, not just faster for the team

This isn't just about internal speed. AI can also change how clients interact with us, from how they submit requests to how they see progress on their work. If the process can be better for everyone involved, that's worth building.

CONTACT

If you're figuring out how AI fits into your design team's workflow, I'd love to share what I've built and what I've learned along the way.