Understanding Journey Maps in AI Design

A user journey map is a visual representation of the entire flow of activities involved in using your product. It encapsulates the user's interactions with your product before, during, and after use. Let's exemplify this with an AI-driven product designed to predict customer churn. At its core, it's a prediction module predicting the probability of a customer churning based on their usage patterns, activities, and other signals.

Role of UX Design in Journey Mapping

In the realm of UX design for AI, the journey map necessitates understanding the broader application of your churn prediction module. A typical scenario involves a sales agent using the module while interacting with a customer. The agent must quickly and accurately predict whether the customer is at risk of churning, allowing for targeted promotions or campaigns. In this context, the journey map should account for the sales agent's environment, the time constraint, the tools they use, and their interpretation of the prediction results.

Differentiating Human-AI Interaction Models

Designing user-friendly AI products means recognizing the three primary types of human-AI interactions: human in the loop, human out of the loop, and human over the loop.

• Human in the loop: The AI system makes predictions, but a human interprets, understands, and decides the next step. Our churn prediction example and software like tax tools fall into this category.

• Human out of the loop: The AI system automates the entire task with no human intervention required, much like a Roomba vacuum cleaner.

• Human over the loop: The AI system automates most of the task, but human supervision is necessary, as seen in self-driving cars.

Last Mile: From Deep Insights to Impact

Once you understand how your module will be used, decide which of these interaction patterns fits your AI product design. Remember, the 'last mile' is crucial: the transition from deep insights to measurable impact. This requires understanding the user's background, how they will interpret and apply the information, and how they will experience the impact.

Resource Recommendation

For insights into crafting effective journey maps, I recommend the book Lean Customer Development by Cindy Alvarez. It's a practical guide to innovating your AI-driven product design, refining your UX/UI design for AI, and ensuring an effective transition from data to actionable insights.

AI UI Design and the User Journey

In conclusion, your AI product's journey map is not just about creating a product that functions. It's about creating an AI UI design that empowers users, enhances their decision-making, and optimizes their interactions.