Overview

Use AI to teach you.

You’ve already identified usability issues and created a sketch redesign for a library website using patterns from Tidwell’s Designing Interfaces.In this activity, you’ll use an AI learning mode—such as ChatGPT’s “Study and Learn,” Google Gemini’s “Learn,” or Grok’s “Think Mode”—to deepen your understanding of one specific pattern and explore how to refine your redesign concept.

You’ll create a custom learning prompt, interact with the AI, and post a short reflection on what you learned.

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, you will be able to:

Apply a design pattern from Tidwell to a real-world interface improvement scenario.
Experiment with AI learning tools to deepen understanding of usability and interface design principles.
Communicate your design reasoning and AI-assisted insights clearly in a professional discussion format.

Instructions

Step 1 – Select a Pattern

Choose one section and pattern from Tidwell that applies to your sketch. Example: Chapter 4: Organizing the Page – Visual Framework (p. 146).

Step 2 – Write Your Customized Learning Prompt

Use the example below as a model and adapt it to your project:

“I'm a designer working on usability for a graduate class. Please walk me through the process of creating a low-fidelity prototype to improve [name of the library website - including web address]. I want to learn how to apply [Tidwell pattern and chapter reference] to solve [briefly describe your usability issue]. My goal: [state your design objective — what improvement you want users to experience].”

Step 3 – Run Your Prompt in an AI Learning Mode

Use one of the following options to guide your exploration:

ChatGPT: Study and Learn
Google Gemini: Learn
Grok: Think Mode

Engage in an interactive conversation — ask clarifying questions and refine your ideas as you go.

Step 4 – Post Your Results

In your discussion post, include:

Your customized prompt
A short summary (3–5 sentences) describing what you learned
One takeaway about how AI helped you think differently about applying Tidwell’s pattern

Example Submission

Prompt:

Walk me through the process of creating a low-fidelity prototype. I want to learn how to improve https://burlingame.org/1075/Library, which has too many options in its layout. I will be using Tidwell, Chapter 4: Organizing the Page, Pattern: Visual Framework. My goal is to make the choices easier to navigate and reduce redundant options for a cleaner, user-friendly experience.

Summary:

The AI helped me see how grouping related links into distinct panels clarifies user flow. It suggested consistent spacing, limited menu items, and a clear visual hierarchy. I learned that pattern-driven structure reduces cognitive load and improves perceived organization.

Grading (10 Points Total)

Criterion	Points	Description
Clarity	4	One-Page Report is concise, well-structured, and clearly presents heuristic, prompt, and findings.
Analysis	3	Prompt is thoughtful; analysis shows meaningful exploration of the site.
Community	3	Two replies are constructive and concise, offering both praise and suggestions.