Utilizing AI to Improve DesignOps

DesignOps used to be about saving designers time when time was scarce. Now that AI can take over much of the manual work, the job has shifted to judgment: what to automate, what to govern, and where human taste still matters. That makes design operations every designer’s job, not just a manager’s.

This talk covers where AI helps across design systems, process, workflow and tooling, and where it’s better kept out. We’ll also discuss the hidden costs AI tools bring, like budget, learning curves, new QA problems and lower-quality output, and how choosing the right tools avoids most of them. You’ll see a simple framework that rates AI tools by impact and ease of adoption, from no-brainers to ones to stay away from, plus a step-by-step approach to rolling them out.

This talk is aimed at designers at every level, as well as design leads and managers shaping how their teams work with AI.

Attendees will leave with:

• A clear view of where AI helps in DesignOps, and where human judgment should stay in charge
• A matrix for rating AI tools on impact and ease of adoption
• The hidden costs of AI tools, and how to avoid them
• A step-by-step plan for rolling out new AI tools with your team

About the Speaker:

For almost 8 years, Ryan Hallak has been designing digital products and experiences for various companies. In the process, he has had the opportunity to manage other incredible designers, lead design teams, and mentor others trying to navigate the industry.

Throughout his career, he has contributed to B2B and B2C products, healthcare applications, financial products, cutting-edge AI technology, and many others. He's consulted corporate design teams to improve their design operations, and has built several design systems from zero. Now, with the emergence of AI, he is balancing the human side of design with the efficiency that AI brings in an effort to optimize design operations. He currently works at Krumware, a software company based in Columbia, South Carolina.