A Little Big Medium: Design Systems, AI & Community

Brad Frost A Little Big Medium: Design Systems, AI & Community

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SUMMER LOVE FOR DESIGN SYSTEMS AND A.I.

We do it better when we do it together.

We’re hurtling into summer’s final weeks here in the northern hemisphere and enjoying time spent with friends, family, and… industry colleagues? Our summer heart embraces everyone! This August we’re celebrating community with good ideas, good people, good times, and good process.

Let’s start with the good times. This week, Big Medium’s Brad Frost presents Frostapalooza, a benefit concert in Pittsburgh for two deserving causes and featuring great musicians–including several web luminaries.

The day before, we’re gathering for Symmetry, a tech-free tech summit (you read that right) about design systems. The day includes smarties Nathan Curtis, Rebecca Garza-Bortman, Jeremy Keith, Jina Anne, Adekunle Oduye, Ben Callahan, and Big Medium’s Josh Clark.

Next up, good process–working better together. How do you master design system governance? By talking things out. How do you get the most out of everyday AI tools at work? By designing them to elevate the team, instead of the individual.

And then, good ideas: let’s create a community understanding of all forms AI experiences can take. What’s the Shape of Sentient Design? Spoiler: it has three points.

And finally: good people… That’s you. We’re happy you’re here, and thanks for the summer vibes.

Onward,

—Veronika Kindred and the Big Medium team

OUR LATEST IDEAS

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THE SHAPE OF SENTIENT DESIGN

Use this diagram to think through and explore AI-mediated experiences in your product design.

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MASTER DESIGN SYSTEM GOVERNANCE WITH THIS ONE WEIRD TRICK

That one weird trick? TALK.

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HAS THE “AI EDGE” BECOME A DULL BLADE?

Today’s cutting-edge technology is becoming tomorrow’s ho-hum office tool. And that’s a good thing.

Turning the Tables on AI

Oliver Richenstein shares strategies for using AI to elevate your writing instead of handing the job entirely to robots.
Why I Finally Quit Spotify

A personal account of how algorithmic personalization can lead to a creeping blandness and a “corporation-centered” experience.
Still Trying to Sound Smart About AI? The Boss Is, Too.

Execs feel pressure to move on AI, even though most admit they don’t have confidence in how to use it.
Introducing Structured Outputs in the API

The more AI models can reliably return structured data, the more we can design interoperable and radically adaptive experiences with them.
AI Is Confusing–Here’s Your Cheat Sheet

A helpful glossary of fundamental AI terms from The Verge.
Doctors Use AI Chatbots to Help Fight Insurance Denials

Is this an example of tech leveling the playing field, or part of an AI-weaponized red-tape arms race that no one can win?
Change Blindness

Ethan Mollick shares striking visual reminders of how far generative AI has come in just 21 months.