📰 3 THINGS TO CHECK OUT
How GPay India’s UX Team Scaled Design System Collaboration
- The GPay India UX team recently partnered with Designlab to improve design system collaboration and create more scalable workflows across distributed product teams. As the product grew to support a huge market in India, so did the complexity of maintaining a custom design system.
- Rather than focusing solely on tools or techniques, the engagement centered on building shared ownership. Through a combination of Designlab's Advanced Figma course and a custom Design System Mastery workshop, the team aligned on best practices, improved handoffs, and established accountability and buy-in across the team.
- If your design team can benefit from custom training centered around your design systems and goals, we offer several options, from group enrollments in our advanced courses to training an data, AI enablement, and more. Learn more or contact us directly.
Your Executives Don't Understand AI. That's Your Problem to Solve.
- Product leader and consultant Michael Hirsch argues that the biggest AI adoption challenge in most organizations isn't happening on product or design teams—it's happening in the executive suite. While leaders are making major AI-related commitments, many lack hands-on experience with the technology and underestimate what it actually takes to create meaningful progress.
- Hirsch points out that individual AI productivity gains don't automatically translate into business impact. But product and design leaders are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between executive enthusiasm and operational reality by leading with education, experimentation, and strategic questions instead of objections.
- "Instead of 'that won't work,' ask: 'What problem does this solve, and how will we know it worked?'. That one question forces strategic thinking without creating conflict. It positions you as the person driving clarity, not the person blocking progress."
The New Usability Challenge: Overseeing AI Agents
- UX pioneer Jakob Nielsen argues that the primary challenge in user experience is no longer interacting with software directly, but overseeing autonomous AI agents acting on our behalf. As agents take on complex tasks, the designer's role shifts from optimizing conversations to designing systems of visibility, control, and trust.
- Nielsen frames this as a major evolution in interface design. Early computing required users to do most of the work through punch cards and command lines; modern interfaces shifted more of that burden to computers. AI agents represent the next step, allowing users to delegate entire workflows—but they also create a new challenge: understanding what those agents are doing, why they're doing it, and when intervention is needed.
- "If the user cannot easily see, interpret, and logically follow the agent’s 'thinking' at scale, they are flying completely blind. And if they are flying blind, they are no longer in charge of the user experience; the machine is."
💜 PORTFOLIO INSPIRATION
With a background in neuroscience and communication design, UX Academy graduate Mara Harris brings to her work a keen interest in how design can support meaningful behavior change and build trust. In one project, she reimagined social media reduction through a harm-reduction lens, replacing restrictive blockers with gradual goals, positive reinforcement, and a beloved mascot. In another, she redesigned a performing arts organization's website to better communicate its mission while improving ticket sales, navigation, and donations—ultimately reducing bounce rates from 71% to 45%. Throughout her designs, Mara demonstrates a strong ability to balance research, systems thinking, and emotional design to create human-first experiences.
Got a portfolio you love that you’d like to share with our audience? Email your suggestions to hello@designlab.com.
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I don’t ever want to fail, but I want to risk failure every time out of the gate. — Quentin Tarantino, director
🧪 FROM THE LAB
Upcoming Course Launches
AI for UX Design — Launches June 12
Learn how to integrate AI across your design process, from research to synthesis, ideation, content creation, and prototyping, while maintaining strong design judgment. This course leaves you with a practical toolkit you can apply immediately in your day-to-day work.
Join our live info session Tuesday, June 9 at 1pm ET to learn more, or grab your seat in the cohort now.
AI for Visual Design — Launches June 26
Explore how AI can enhance creative direction, visual exploration, and design execution. From generating concepts to refining visual systems, you'll create a scalable workflow for branding, visual assets, and your broader creative practice.
Register to join the webinar Monday, June 8 at 12pm ET.
Vibe Coding Camp — Launches June 30
Ready to move beyond prototyping? In this hands-on course spanning 4 live sessions over 4 weeks, you'll learn how to build and ship real products using today's AI-powered development stack, including Claude Code, Figma MCP, GitHub, and Vercel.
Register for the info session on Wednesday, June 10 at 12pm ET.
