📰 3 THINGS TO CHECK OUT
Initial Impressions of ChatGPT’s Agent: Successful, Shaky, and Slow
- Senior UX Specialist Evan Sunwall does a dive into ChatGPT’s new agent mode, finding that while the AI can complete autonomous tasks, the process is often slow, fragile, and prone to misunderstanding user intent.
- His test—booking a business lunch—succeeded in principle but exposed usability issues, underscoring that while the agent is a promising step forward, it still faces challenges before it can be considered broadly trustworthy and efficient.
- “ChatGPT needed 11 minutes to navigate the restaurant’s web forms, whereas it took me about 2 minutes to perform the same workflow at a casual pace… ChatGPT took so long to complete the process that the 10-minute window to hold a table reservation technically timed out.”
- UX Designer Amish Gadhia details how financial app Robinhood has developed a system to thoughtfully integrate context-aware alerts that address potential fraud scenarios without overwhelming users with constant warnings.
- By surfacing this warning precisely when the user is most vulnerable—such as when they’re actively participating in money management on their device—the app enhances clarity, trust, and situational awareness.
- “Security isn’t just about encryption or backend safeguards. It’s also about how you communicate risks to the person holding the device.When you design security into the user experience, you’re not just preventing fraud, you’re building trust.”
- Ana Boyer, Designer Advocate at Figma, dissects how pairing robust design systems with Model Context Protocol servers—an open standard for securely connecting AI models to external tools and data—can significantly elevate AI workflows.
- This creates a powerful feedback loop: the better you craft your design system, the smarter the AI agents become at producing accurate code, boosting both speed and quality of outputs.
- “As LLMs make it easier to go from idea to execution, the true differentiator for great products becomes not just functionality, but craft—the kind that reflects clear intent, visual identity, and thoughtful user experience.”
💜 PORTFOLIO INSPIRATION
Andrea Hernandez, a UX Academy graduate, creates a better online shopping experience with her end-to-end app FitFeed, which strives to provide a more personalized, trustworthy, and overall user-centered experience. With her responsive redesign for local coffee shop Iron Cafe, she uses a strong sense of UI to create better brand alignment while reworking user flows to make the experience more seamless overall. Both projects showcase a high level of understanding the needs of the client and the user, executing changes to enhance the digital platforms for both.
Got a portfolio you love that you’d like to share with our audience? Email your suggestions to hello@designlab.com.
💡 INTERESTING STUFF...
- AI Design Programs Duel It Out
- 50 Design Styles For Better Prompting
- Wild & Weird Architecture
- Make Things Happen
The next big thing is the one that makes the last big thing usable. — Blake Ross, software engineer
🧪 FROM THE LAB
🚀 Last Chance for AI Summer Camp
Don’t miss out on AI Summer Camp! Kicking off Tuesday, August 19, this four-day program immerses you in live, hands-on sessions with the latest AI prototyping tools like Magic Patterns, Cursor, and Figma Make. You’ll learn how to go from prompt to polished prototype faster than ever, guided by industry experts who are shaping the future of AI-powered design.
Enrollment closes at 11:59 PM PT on Monday, August 18th—secure your spot now!
🚨 Don’t Miss Out on Savings for UI Mastery
Priority enrollment ends today for our UI Mastery Certification program! This immersive 8-week, studio-style program—complete with expert mentorship from designers at top companies—helps you master visual polish, strengthen design systems skills, and build a standout portfolio project. In a world of AI-driven work, it’s your chance to cultivate the craft, precision, and design sensibility that set you apart.
Submit a complete application now and we’ll fast-track it so you can secure your spot and save $250 with priority enrollment if approved. Don’t miss your chance to future-proof your skills—apply today!
🎤 Learn More About Our Upcoming Courses
Thinking about heading back to school as the summer winds down? You’re in luck! We have our full slate of courses for experienced designers launching within the next few weeks.
If you’re interested in learning more about what course is the right fit for you, we encourage you to join our Advanced Courses webinar this coming Monday, August 18th, at 12pm ET. We’ll chat through each course’s learning goals, format, mentorship, and have a live Q&A so you can get any questions answered. Register here to attend live or receive a recording!
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