Beyond AI-Generated Quick Prototypes
In the exciting world of modern design, a new force has arrived. AI tools are rapidly changing how we start projects with quick mocks through "vibe designing" faster than ever.
This impressive speed might make you believe the future of design is a series of perfect, instant images.
Well. this isn't true…
But beneath this impressive speed, the true keys to success remain firmly rooted in human collaboration, critical thinking, and the necessary work of making things better over time.
Even with the rise of AI, the detailed work of getting feedback, making clear decisions, and keeping a single, reliable record of design choices doesn't just disappear.
This article will show you why these human-centered processes are still essential and how they define the true value of any design project, even as AI handles the initial heavy lifting.
AI-powered mockup tools are fantastic for a quick start—a flash of inspiration. But they fall short when it comes to the complex, nuanced reality of bringing a product to life. They can't replace the critical, human-centered work that follows the initial concept. This is where tools like Figma step in and remain irreplaceable!
1. The Conversation, Not Just the Creation
Design is not a solo sport. It's a continuous, dynamic conversation. A quick AI mockup can be a great starting point, but it's a dead end without conservations starting to share. Inbetween, why would someone care to keep conservations on some separate tool?
Imagine a business user, a product manager, or an engineer. They see beautiful AI-generated image and think, "Great, a quick preview!"
The problem is, a preview is just that—a single, static snapshot. It's the equivalent of sending a postcard home. It shows what you saw, but it doesn't allow for a conversation about where you're going, what you need, or the challenges you faced to get there.
Business users often value speed and a tangible output. An AI tool can certainly provides that. It's a shiny, immediate solution. But what they might not realize is that the "quick preview" is only valuable if it can be a foundation for everything that comes next. And that's where Figma shines.
The Problem with "Quick Previews"
Imagine you're the business owner or product manager. Your team needs to build a new feature. You ask for a quick mockup to see how it might look. An AI tool gives you a beautiful image. It looks great, but now what?
Where do you track the feedback? Do you send the image in a Slack message, Powerpoint Deck and hope everyone sees it? Do you leave comments in a document that's disconnected from the design itself? This quickly leads to a chaotic mess of feedback, making it impossible to track decisions.
How do you share the "final" version? If the design changes, do you generate a new image and re-send it to everyone? This creates version control nightmares. Keep guessing if the team is looking at the latest version or an outdated one..
Quick AI prototypes are a fleeting glance, while a Figma prototype is a blueprint for action. You don't build a skyscraper from a single artist's sketch—you use a detailed architectural plan.
Figma is that plan. It’s where the high-level vision from the business team is translated into a functional, buildable reality, with every decision and piece of feedback meticulously tracked along the way.
Beyond the Snapshot: A business leader needs more than a pretty picture. They need to understand the user flow, the logic behind the design, and how it handles edge cases and error states.
An AI mockup is a single scene from a movie; a Figma prototype is the interactive script and storyboard. It's where the high-level vision is translated into a functional, buildable reality.
2. Keeping Everyone in Sync
How do you communicate project status to the wider team or to business leaders?
A collection of AI-generated images won’t cut it. Figma serves as the single source of truth for the design.
A manager can see the progress of a design in real-time. Team members can view and comment on the current state of a design, and developers can access up-to-date specs. This shared, centralized space provides transparency and accountability that a quick, one-off AI tool can't match.
3. Technical Feasibility Checks
AI might be able to create a beautiful, slick user interface, but it doesn't know if that design can actually be built. The technical feasibility of a design is a crucial part of the process. With Figma, a designer and a developer can collaborate in the same file to figure out if a design is technically possible or if it needs adjustments. This back-and-forth ensures that the final product is not only visually appealing but also functional and efficient.
The biggest issue and even I have faced it myself —
The "Misunderstanding" Factor
One of the biggest limitations of current AI tools is their tendency to "misunderstand" the prompt. You might type in a detailed request, only to receive a result that completely misses the mark. You then have to spend time refining your prompt or starting over, which can slow down the process and create frustration.
Certainly, one could rather call AI tool in this context as - The Designer's Second Brain
Its greatest value isn't in replacing the designer, but in empowering them. AI tools are becoming the designer's "second brain," offloading the tedious, monotonous tasks that bog them down.
I would rather admit that I've experienced this issue myself.
AI is a powerful assistant that frees designers from the most tedious tasks. It handles the monotonous work of creating layouts, placing UI elements, and suggesting basic interactions. This automation is a huge time-saver and allows designers to bypass the initial, creatively draining work of "pixel-perfecting." And much more - there's that layout appropriately coming out what you intent to get with prompts
By offloading these repetitive tasks to AI, designers can instead dedicate their energy to what truly matters: understanding the user's journey, solving complex problems, and guiding the overall product strategy. This is the high-value, human-centered work that AI can't replicate—the work of empathy, creativity, and strategic decision-making that turns a good idea into a great product.
This partnership—where AI handles the heavy lifting of repetitive work and humans provide the strategic and creative direction—is the future of design.
My last piece
AI is a powerful tool, an amazing shortcut to the beginning of the design process. But the journey from a good idea to a great product is long and winding, filled with detours, revisions, and countless conversations. And then - to add, there is middle ground usually required to balance most of needs!
Figma and its human-centric processes are far from dead—they are more essential than ever. They are the blueprint for action, the space for conversation, and the single source of truth that will ensure the final product is a success, not just a fleeting glance.
In my opinion, Figma is here to stay, at least for now.
