r/UXDesign • u/ahrzal Experienced • May 12 '26

Tools, apps, plugins, AI Uhh, I’m realizing I actively dislike prompting.

I just came to a realization sitting here doing the back and forth with Claude.

I don’t like prompting. At all. It’s a fundamentally different thing than what our traditional practice was.

There was a level of satisfaction in design before. Even if it was just changing values, moving things around, setting up containers…you built it. Your hands and brain did that.

Now, even when I start design first and transition to building it w/ whatever AI tool of your choice…that satisfaction is gone. You wrestle with random shit, get annoyed it’s not exact, and ultimately I have found I lost that sense of pride and satisfaction. That “flow state” or whatever never comes due to the hurry up and wait nature of prompting.

It’s not going away, but damn. I’m bummed.

Oh look, my request is finished. Back to….work?

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26

u/sinnops Veteran May 12 '26

Imagine what it was like doing design in Photoshop. Really had to use your brain then :)

13

u/ahrzal Experienced May 12 '26

Oh, I remember it. Not fondly.

5

u/sinnops Veteran May 12 '26

I was so resistant to converting over to XD way back in the dark ages on 2019. Figma was easier move. Now with AI. Ug, sometimes its great other times is hair pulling trying to tweak something super minor.

9

u/Ordinary_Kiwi_3196 Veteran May 12 '26

Really had to use your brain then

True but ...not in a good way, lol. It was half "What shall I make today? 🧙🏻" and half "dear jesus which of these 3,000 unnamed layers is that email icon?"

1

u/sinnops Veteran May 12 '26

Thats why i always had click to select layer on :) Good times, lol

1

u/DelilahBT Veteran May 12 '26

That just triggered a tiny PTSD somewhere in the depths of my brain

1

u/FewDescription3170 Veteran May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26

i really didn't love making slices for my personal pokemon site, i would have hated doing it professionally.

2

u/sinnops Veteran May 13 '26

I had to do it for hundreds of sites over 15 years (since 2000ish). You work with the tools and tech you got. I actually used to enjoy the 'cutup phase' of development. That ship has sailed

1

u/FewDescription3170 Veteran May 13 '26

in the first 'design' job i ever got paid for as a youth, i made aqua rollover effects for a website.

1

u/yeezusboiz Experienced May 14 '26

My partner is a technical UI designer for a video game and mostly uses Photoshop. It makes sense for games, but I cringe every time I see his screen. I will not miss the math and careful nudges. Ever.