recent reflections on how i'd want to teach product design in 2024
Software is now integrated into every aspect of our lives.
The design of the digital products we use every day is more important than ever.
But phone and computer interfaces are now mature and stable. Patterns are commoditized, processes are industrialized. Soon, generative Al and non-designers will be able to create live code for clean, standard interfaces - without needing professional designers to mock it up.
The industry does not need more product designers to reinvent the wheel. The job market reflects this.
At the same time, the arrival of generative Al models creates a new frontier for computing and opens up endless new creative possibilities. The way computers work is fundamentally changing. Designers are sorely needed to shape this new material. Likewise, the processes and responsibilities of the designer will evolve beyond the old ways of static mocks and design systems.
In this new world, everyone is a beginner, craft is automatable, and creation is cheap. The ultimate differentiator will be the creator's perspective, taste, and judgment. The product design education for our current moment must prioritize this above all else.
