Best AI Prompts for Designers & UX

Act as a senior product designer. Critique this UI design: [describe the screen or paste a description/screenshot] Evaluate: visual hierarchy, spacing, typography, color usage, and consistency. Be specific about what to improve and why.

Audit this UI for accessibility issues based on WCAG 2.1 AA: [describe the UI or list its components] Check for: color contrast, keyboard navigation, focus states, screen reader compatibility, touch target sizes, and ARIA usage. List issues by severity.

Review this UI design for mobile responsiveness: [describe the layout or list the components] Identify: elements that won't scale well, tap targets that are too small, content that will overflow, and spacing issues on small screens. Suggest specific fixes.

Analyze the visual hierarchy of this UI: [describe the screen layout and its elements] Identify: what the user's eye will land on first, whether the hierarchy matches the intended user goal, and what changes would improve scanning and comprehension.

Write a user interview guide for researching [topic or feature, e.g. 'how people manage their finances']. Include: 3 warm-up questions, 8–10 core questions, and 2 wrap-up questions. Use open-ended phrasing. Avoid leading the participant.

Create a realistic user persona for [product or feature]. Target user: [describe broadly, e.g. 'freelance graphic designers, 28–40'] Include: name, age, occupation, goals, frustrations, key behaviors, and a short quote. Keep it grounded and actionable.

Write a usability test script for [feature or flow, e.g. 'the checkout flow']. Include: facilitator introduction, consent reminder, 4–6 task scenarios with realistic context, and follow-up probing questions after each task. Avoid revealing the correct path.

Design a user survey to gather feedback on [feature, e.g. 'our new onboarding flow']. Include: 1 NPS or CSAT question, 4–6 rating or multiple-choice questions, and 2 open-ended questions. Keep it under 3 minutes to complete. Suggest the best order.

Propose a naming convention for UI components in our design system. Context: [e.g. 'We use React, Figma, and have a mix of atomic and composed components'] Cover: component names, variant naming, prop naming, and file/layer naming in Figma. Provide examples for Button, Modal, and Form Field.

Write clear documentation for this UI component: Component: [component name, e.g. 'Toast notification'] Props/variants: [list them] Usage context: [where it's used] Include: description, when to use vs. not use, prop table, accessibility notes, and a usage example.

Propose a design token structure for [product or design system name]. Brand colors: [list key colors] Typography: [list typefaces or scale] Context: [e.g. web app, mobile app, or both] Organize tokens into: color, typography, spacing, border radius, shadow, and motion. Show both primitive and semantic token examples.

Help me audit our pattern library for inconsistencies. Here is a list of our current components and variants: [paste component list] Identify: duplicate patterns serving the same purpose, naming inconsistencies, gaps where a reusable component is missing, and components that may be too specific to be reusable.

Map out the user flow for [feature, e.g. 'resetting a password']. User goal: [describe what the user wants to achieve] Entry point: [where the user starts] List each step the user takes, decisions they encounter, and possible error or edge case paths. Format as a numbered flow with branching where needed.

Propose the information architecture for [app section, e.g. 'the settings area of a SaaS dashboard']. User types: [list if multiple] Key tasks users perform: [list 4–6 tasks] Suggest a navigation structure with top-level sections, sub-sections, and the content or actions within each. Justify your groupings.

Propose a navigation structure for [product, e.g. 'a B2B project management tool']. Key features: [list main features] User roles: [list roles if applicable] Recommend: primary navigation items, secondary navigation, and how to handle role-based access. Consider both desktop sidebar and mobile bottom nav patterns.

Design an onboarding flow for [product, e.g. 'a habit-tracking mobile app']. New user goal: [what they need to achieve to get value] Key setup steps required: [list any mandatory steps, e.g. 'create first habit'] Propose: screen sequence, what to ask vs. defer, progress indication, and how to handle skip/later options. Keep time-to-value as short as possible.

Write clear, user-friendly error messages for these scenarios: [list error scenarios, e.g. 'invalid email format', 'file too large', 'session expired'] For each: write the error title, a plain-language explanation of what went wrong, and the action the user should take. Tone: [e.g. friendly, professional, minimal].

Write empty state copy for these UI states: [list states, e.g. 'no search results', 'no notifications yet', 'no files uploaded'] For each: write a heading, a 1–2 sentence explanation, and a CTA if appropriate. Tone: [e.g. encouraging, neutral, playful]. Avoid filler phrases like 'Nothing to see here'.

Write button and CTA label variations for [action or feature, e.g. 'starting a free trial']. Context: [where the button appears, e.g. 'pricing page', 'empty state', 'modal header'] Tone: [e.g. direct, benefit-focused, low-friction] Provide 6–8 label options ranked from most to least assertive. Explain the tradeoffs.

Write tooltips and helper text for these UI elements: [list elements, e.g. 'API key field', 'billing cycle toggle', 'notification frequency setting'] For each: write a concise tooltip (under 15 words) and an optional longer helper text for inline use. Prioritize clarity over cleverness.

Help me write a clear rationale for this design decision: Decision: [describe what was decided, e.g. 'We moved from a tabbed layout to a single scrollable page'] Context: [what problem it solves or what data/insight drove it] Alternatives considered: [list 1–2] Write a concise explanation I can share with stakeholders that covers: the problem, the decision, why it's the right call, and any tradeoffs.

Create an outline for a design review presentation for [feature or project name]. Audience: [e.g. 'product team + engineering leads'] Goal of the review: [e.g. 'get sign-off before handoff' or 'gather feedback on direction'] Phase: [e.g. 'early concept', 'refined mockups', 'final designs'] Include: suggested sections, what to show in each, time allocation, and how to frame the feedback ask.

Write a before/after narrative for this design improvement: Before: [describe the old design and its problems] After: [describe the new design and what changed] Metrics or user feedback (if any): [paste if available] Write a concise story I can use in a case study or stakeholder update that explains the problem, the insight, and the impact of the change.

Help me summarize and synthesize this stakeholder feedback from a design review: [paste raw notes or feedback] Organize it into: themes, specific actionable requests, questions that need clarification, and feedback that conflicts with other feedback. Flag any items that conflict with user research or design principles.