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TL;DR: Good design prompts share three traits: they give the AI context (who the user is, what the goal is), they ask for options and tradeoffs instead of one answer, and they assign the AI a clear role. Below are prompts I actually reuse, organized by design task.
The difference between a useless and a useful AI response is almost always the prompt. Provide intent and constraints, ask for a draft you can refine, and request several directions so you stay in control of the final decision.
“Act as a senior product designer. Here's a screen for [user] trying to [goal]. What does the eye see first, second, third? Where does attention get lost, and what would you change to improve conversion?”
“Write 5 versions of this button label for a user who is [context]. Vary the tone from functional to playful, and explain the tradeoff of each.”
“Here are 10 user interview notes. Cluster the feedback into themes, rank them by how often they appear, and flag any quotes that contradict the majority view.”
“Give me 10 rough directions for [feature]. Range from safe and conventional to risky and unexpected. One line each — I'll pick which to develop.”
Should I use the same prompt every time? Build a small library of role-based prompts, then adapt the context each time.
Why ask for multiple options? It keeps judgment with you and surfaces directions you wouldn't have considered.
Carlos Lastres is an Apple Design Award–winning product designer and software engineer based in Tokyo who works hands-on with AI tools to design conversion-focused products.