On the face of it, generative AI should be an easy sell after all who would say no to increased productivity (1)? But introducing AI to employees can be daunting because of the many topics and complex concepts involved (2) as well as the well-discussed social tensions and anxieties associated with it. However, there are ways to make AI approachable and engaging.
Tracey Allen, Principal Service Designer, suggested a prompt battle and we invited some of the creative minds from our Research and Service Design Group to join us to get a feel for working with ChatGPT alongside the leading image generation platform, Midjourney.
On a warm afternoon, nigh on tropical due to air-conditioning issues, the team assembled to eat pizza and beer and to come up with the most interesting and amusing outcomes they could. There were two rounds which challenged the team to create the best AI-generated text and images based on a series of prompts. These varied from the practical to the absurd, including ‘Steal the style of your favourite writer to create a short rap about Transform’ and ‘Imagine you are a UX professional, where do you see yourself in 5 years?’. The rules were simple, two groups of two stood face-to-face on computers and had 2 minutes to respond to the prompt, this was followed by a 2-minute presentation and a public vote to determine the winner of each battle.
Notable highlights included the creation of Pope Francis at Paris Fashion Week and mashups of famous adverts and artists.
But the unquestionable winners of the battle were Hazel and Kingston who not only wrote the best rap about their roles at Transform but also performed it to a world-class standard. Their performance was in fact so influential, it inspired posters and memorabilia of the event. Keep posted for the next performance but in the meantime, here’s a teaser below. Who’d have thought learning something new could be so much fun. (IKEA have not endorsed this rap).
Write a 100-word rap in the style of Jay Z about life as a user experience consultant working at IKEA in the year 2220. Make it funny and make it rhyme.
I'm a UX consultant, IKEA's finest maestro,
In 2220, where design's out the stratosphere, yo!
Got futuristic furnishings, space-age swag,
Helping aliens navigate through the IKEA catalog.
I'm flipping digital blueprints, making things fly,
From intergalactic coffee tables to Martian bedside,
As a UX consultant, I'm the cosmic sensation,
Bringing style and function to the interstellar nation!
With holographic manuals and teleportation chairs,
I create seamless interfaces, no room for errors.
From alien species to shape-shifting beings,
I design for all, making the impossible sing.
I'm flipping digital blueprints, making things fly,
From intergalactic coffee tables to Martian bedside,
As a UX consultant, I'm the cosmic sensation,
Bringing style and function to the interstellar nation!
So, if you need a killer UX, hit me up, you know where to find,
In the IKEA of 2220, where design blows your mind.
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If you're interested in how to implement AI in your organisation (and maybe organise some prompt battles too!), feel free to drop us a line at transformation@TransformUK.com or join us at our next leadership breakfast focusing on "Are you ready for AI?". Read more about it and register your interest here.
