Cynthia is a Product Designer

I use AI throughout my entire design process, from research to delivery. I think of it as a teammate that helps me move faster, but I’m still the one making the decisions.

For research, I use ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude for things like competitor research and learning new domains. After interviews, I use Dovetail and Maze to quickly summarize insights and spot patterns, so I can spend more time thinking instead of organizing notes.

For ideation, I use Claude Design to explore different design directions. I bring in references from Mobbin, and if there’s an existing design system, I’ll provide the design.md file and the GitHub design system link upfront, so the concepts stay consistent with the existing system.

I also use Cursor to speed up implementation and collaborate better with engineers.

For me, AI doesn’t replace design thinking. It just helps me spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time solving the right problems.

My design process is pretty flexible because every project is different. It really depends on the level of clarity, the timeline, and the resources, but I usually follow the same overall flow.

First, I make sure we’re solving the right problem by understanding the user needs, business goals, success metrics, and any constraints.

Then I do the right amount of research. If things are clear, I’ll lean on existing data and competitor research. If there’s more uncertainty, I’ll talk to users and validate assumptions.

Next, I design, test, and iterate. I work closely with PMs and engineers, explore different ideas, and validate them early whenever possible.

After launch, I look at user feedback and product metrics to see what’s working, then keep improving. To me, design is never really finished. It’s all about learning and iterating.

I’d say I’m both. It really depends on the project’s level of clarity and risk.

If the problem is already well defined and the risk is low, I like to move quickly, ship, measure, and iterate based on real user data.

If there’s still some uncertainty, I’ll do lightweight research like user interviews or usability testing to make sure we truly understand the problem before designing.

For highly ambiguous or high-risk projects, I spend even more time on research and validation because that’s where it has the biggest impact. I like to focus the team’s time and resources where they reduce the most risk, instead of doing the same amount of research for every project.

I like to involve PMs and engineers as early as possible. I really believe the best products come from working together, not handing designs off at the end.

From day one, we align on the business goals, user needs, and any technical constraints. That helps us make better decisions early and avoids surprises later. My goal is to make sure what we design is not only great for users, but also valuable for the business and realistic to build.

I would need about two to three weeks’ notice before I can start. After that, I’ll be ready and excited for my next chapter! 😊

Happy to chat about the role, projects, or timelines anytime at cynthiaproductdesigner@gmail.com.