About this episode
Let’s talk about design for AI (which more and more, I’m agreeing means GenAI to those outside the data space). The hype around GenAI and LLMs—particularly as it relates to dropping these in as features into a software application or product—seems to me, at this time, to largely be driven by FOMO rather than real value. In this “part 1” episode, I look at the importance of solid user experience design and outcome-oriented thinking when deploying LLMs into enterprise products. Challenges with immature AI UIs, the role of context, the constant game of understanding what accuracy means (and how much this matters), and the potential impact on human workers are also examined. Through a hypothetical scenario, I illustrate the complexities of using LLMs in practical applications, stressing the need for careful consideration of benchmarks and the acceptance of GenAI's risks.
I also want to note that LLMs are a very immature space in terms of UI/UX design—even if the foundation models continue to mature at a rapid pace. As such, this episode is more about the questions and mindset I would be considering when integrating LLMs into enterprise software more than a suggestion of “best practices.”
Highlights/ Skip to:
(1:15) Currently, many LLM feature initiatives seem to mostly driven by FOMO
(2:45) UX Considerations for LLM-enhanced enterprise applications
(5:14) Challenges with LLM UIs / user interfaces
(7:24) Measuring improvement in UX outcomes with LLMs
(10:36) Accuracy in LLMs and its relevance in enterprise software
(11:28) Illustrating key consideration for implementing an LLM-based feature
(19:00) Leadership and context in AI deployment
(19:27) Determining UX benchmarks for using LLMs
(20:14) The dynamic nature of LLM hallucinations and how we design for the unknown
(21:16) Closing thoughts on Part 1 of designing for AI and LLMs
Quotes from Today’s Episode
“While many product teams continue to race to deploy some sort of GenAI and especially LLMs into their products—particularly this is in the tech sector for commercial software companies—the general sense I’m getting is that this is still more about FOMO than anything else.” - Brian T. O’Neill (2:07)
“No matter what the technology is, a good user experience design foundation starts with not doing any harm, and hopefully going beyond usable to be delightful. And adding LLM capabilities into a solution is really no different. So, we still need to have outcome-oriented thinking on both our product and
