The Wilson Dow Group design team recently partnered with Designlab on a multi-seat engagement in AI for Visual Design.
As AI tools have become more prevalent and Wilson Dow’s clients have increasingly begun adopting them, the team recognized an opportunity: to establish a shared understanding of how AI can fit into their creative process and be stewards for AI across their client work.
By participating together in the AI for Visual Design course, the team built a foundation for experimentation, collaboration, and thoughtful adoption of AI across their design practice.
Challenge
Wilson Dow is a creative production agency focused on designing live experiences and events. Its six-person in-house design team works alongside producers, creative directors, video teams, technical directors, and production staff to create everything from event branding systems and presentation design to large-format graphics and environmental experiences.
Like many creative teams, Wilson Dow had already begun experimenting with AI. Team members were using tools for isolated tasks, generating one-off images, and testing workflows. But as AI tools got better and clients began adopting the workflows themselves, the team saw a need for a more intentional approach.
For Jaime Schmitt, Wilson Dow's Director of Design, the goal was more than just learning AI tools. “Our clients are using it, everyone’s using it. No one really has it figured out yet. We need to be good stewards of this.”
Jaime envisioned a few ideal outcomes for the team:
- Learn what the latest AI tools can do
- Gain practical experience with evaluating and applying AI workflows in event design
- Determine how AI could fit into the team's creative process
Above all, Jaime wanted her team to share in the learning experience. "Wilson Dow is very much about the power of shared experiences. I wanted this to be an opportunity for a team-building exercise for all of us to navigate this murky water together."
"We don't want to bring AI into it just for the sake of saying we did. It needs to be smart and intentional."
Solution
Wilson Dow enrolled its six-person design team in AI for Visual Design, creating an opportunity for the team to upskill together and build a shared approach to AI adoption.
The course introduced designers to AI tools and workflows, including image generation, video creation, prompting techniques, reverse-engineering creative work, and creative direction. This was done through the orchestration platform Flora, which brings together top image generation and video models like Nano Banana, GPT Image, Runway, and more into a single canvas tool.
For a team working on different design deliverables, understanding where various AI tools excel was particularly useful.
"My team is doing large format print and swag and presentation design, and we're coming up with the look and feel of an entire event. It felt really great to be able to think of using AI as a system that can be pulled through that across the board."
The program also gave the team exposure to unfamiliar workflows — namely, the node system that Flora and other tools now use. By working through it together, the team was able to demystify new techniques and build confidence in applying AI to their process.
Directing AI Visual Design Tools
The training helped the Wilson Dow team become more comfortable navigating AI tools systematically. Through live lectures and hands-on projects, the designers learned how different tools could support different creative needs, how to create more effective prompts, and how to use AI to better understand visual techniques like composition, lighting, and camera movement.
One particularly valuable takeaway was learning how to reverse-engineer visuals to produce new work. “That part never occurred to me to use AI for."
The team also learned how multiple AI tools can work together within a broader creative system.
"My team is doing large format print and swag and presentation design, and we're coming up with the look and feel of an entire event. It felt really great to be able to think of using AI as a system that can be pulled through that across the board."
Understanding AI in Design and the Designer’s Role
The training created space for ongoing discussion about where AI belongs within the design process. "There is all this news out there about AI taking over. It was helpful to see where human interaction is really important. Taste is important. The knowledge of the field is important."
The team came to understand where AI design tools can accelerate the creative process, but the training also affirmed what they already knew: that strong design still requires thoughtful evaluation, refinement, and decision-making.
“If there was ever a time for designers to feel unappreciated, it’s now. Anyone can be a designer. But the distilling and reviewing is something that comes with the practice of the field. And it was encouraging to see that being taught in this course and reinforcing what’s important."
"There is all this news out there about AI taking over. It was helpful to see where human interaction is really important. Taste is important. The knowledge of the field is important."
Shared Learning and Teamwork Building
Most importantly for Wilson Dow Group, team training was more valuable than an individual learning experience. Team members regularly checked in with one another between sessions, compared projects, and encouraged one another.
A key benefit of the course was that it met the team where they were at. For Jaime, discovering what AI could do for visual design was mindblowing. For another member of her team who had already been working with Midjourney and other tools, the course reinforced skills and provided new challenges.
“The course is comprehensive, and at times it was tough, but dedicating that time to unpack all of this was a lot of fun. Even if we don’t stick with [certain tools] for the long haul, knowing how this works is going to be smart.”
The shared experience created alignment around both the opportunities and challenges of AI adoption, and Jaime’s team jumped in wholeheartedly.
A Foundation for Future AI Strategy and Client Conversations
As Wilson Dow moves forward to evaluating AI for their work, the team shares a toolkit and knowledge of the AI landscape, which will help them better advise clients.
Jaime sees that foundation as a major impact of the training. "Knowledge is power. No one knows our experience better than our team, so how do we want to tackle this?”
The team is already applying many of the techniques learned in the course, particularly around ideation and early-stage creative exploration, while continuing to approach AI thoughtfully.
"We don't want to bring AI into it just for the sake of saying we did. It needs to be smart and intentional."
Conclusion
For Wilson Dow’s design team, investing in AI for Visual Design training has helped ensure the team can approach a changing design landscape with confidence, curiosity, and a critical way of thinking about where AI fits into their process.
By learning together, the team built a practical skillset while developing a stronger appreciation for the uniquely human skills that continue to drive great design.
The result is a team that feels better equipped to evaluate AI, guide client interactions, and shape its own approach to AI adoption.
If your team is looking to upskill in AI tools and workflows, Designlab’s team training options include both multi-seat engagements in our courses for experienced designers and custom options. Learn more, or contact us to talk through your goals.
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