Quick note from me

I’m challenging myself to write this newsletter more regularly and truly build a top-notch, valuable design resource for you. I know there are plenty of newsletters out there, but that’s exactly what excites me and what makes me want to deliver more valuable content to you.

This week, I’ve been deeply focused on two things: my new portfolio on Framer and preparing some insightful posts for you. More updates on both coming soon. I also shared my first really vulnerable post about my current career and personal struggles, and it received a lot of positive reactions 🫶 I’ve also launched a new initiative on my Instagram broadcast channel to help you achieve your goals. You can join whenever you want to!

Story outline

Last week I asked you what would you like to learn next and the majority of you selected AI design tips, followed by portfolio “how to’s”.

So today let’s talk about how I approach learning AI skills:

Level 01: Create space to learn AI

As you know, I run my own baby business. This means no dedicated budget for learning about AI, no extra time, and no ready-made projects. I have lots of ongoing tasks and never-ending to-do lists. It’s up to me to decide to take care of learning about AI and to practice it. Because either I want to play this game or not, right?

Same tip I’d give you: if you want something, start doing it. If you want to be designer for AI A, start behaving like that designer. So the first level of learning about AI is to find space for it and build some tiny routines. These are mine:

• Routine 1: Checking news about AI (here, here, and here for example), and following AI industry leaders like Xinran, Rupa, or design innovation leaders like Rachel (here’s a great talk from her about designing through the hype)

• Routine 2: Implementing AI practice into my work, e.g. brainstorming with ChatGPT (check OpenAI Academy), setting up automations with Zapier or Mac Shortcuts

• Routine 3: Observing AI solutions and collecting screenshots. Any AI recommendation I see on an e-commerce site, in a trading app, or in any new AI tool that pops up, I want to see it. I’m curious.

Level 02: Test AI tools

Why start here? Because learning happens best on real products. Actually becoming a user of AI tools forces better reflections on AI design. I try to experiment with AI tools, prototypes, or no-code platforms to see how they behave in real interactions. I don’t fall in love with just one, because there are too many tools, none perfect, and I don’t want to limit myself. I’m here to absorb and adapt. Examples of tools I’ve tested:

• Lovable (I built this app recently and here’s my top-level process outline)

• Other AI prototyping tools like Magic Patterns, Bolt, Cursor or recently Replit

• Various AI note-taking apps like Fireflies, Granola, tldv

• Automations (yes! productivity is the easiest to automate. Think Airtable, Zapier, Mac Shortcuts with templates)

Level 03: Build new design mental models

Approaching designing for AI the same way we’ve always done won’t work. So, the first step in my opinion is to relearn how to design. As Jakob Nielsen said, we’re entering a new UI paradigm: intent-based design and immersive experiences. For this, I want to learn how to keep an open mind and not limit my possibilities. Because sooner or later, we’ll all be working with AI, it’ll become the new norm by default. For now, new design roles are already arising, like Model Designer.

Level 04: Show AI skills in your design portfolio

As you know, I’m working on my new portfolio, and here’s what I’m doing to show my AI skills:

• Adding conceptual AI projects and presenting them in a snapshot format (the format I teach in my portfolio course)

• Including snippets of visions for one AI feature in three other project snapshots I share

• On my LinkedIn (a.k.a. my resume), adding AI tags and information about how I incorporate AI into my workflow

Portfolio inspirations I’m loving this week

• Niklas’s AI portfolio is very simple, but uses two intentional visual tactics that caught my attention: the blue dot to guide user navigation and the recorded project preview

• I love Yihui’s portfolio for its creative, freeform layout

• And here’s another unique layout inspiration from Caleb’s portfolio

• More portfolio examples in this post

Want help with your portfolio? 🎁

As a thank you for being part of this community, I’m offering you special discounts on all my portfolio services:

1. Join my UX portfolio course with 50% off discount (use code “ANETA50” at checkout) and learn how to build your portfolio and get community feedback

2. Sign up for a call with me and get 15% off to chat about your portfolio

3. Get a 15% discount on an async portfolio review

Questions? Reply directly.

Keep designing ✨
Aneta