Why this Designer is So Interested in Generative AI and No-Code App Development.
Why Generative AI and No-Code App Development are both important trends to follow in the K-12 education space.
You may have noticed that I've dedicated a good amount of writing space (and thus brain space) to no-code app development platforms like Glide and to generative AI like ChatGPT, Bing, Bard, and others. You might be scratching your head and asking yourself, isn't this guy a designer?
Yes, I'm definitely a designer. Really, a problem solver who leverages design thinking and my background in graphic design to solve school-related problems. However, as a tech enthusiast and futures thinker, I'm always trying to figure out the next trend that will impact schools.
It turns out, that IS thinking like a designer. Design thinking depends on empathy or human-centeredness. It's critically important to understand the tools that are both impacting and used by students and educators alike.
Specific to design thinking, understanding technology trends helps me in all parts of the human-centered design process: empathy, problem definition, brainstorming, prototyping, and testing.
Thus, my interest in the two big trends: No-code development and AI. Both can help solve problems more efficiently, creatively, and flexibly.
1. No-code app development allows for faster prototyping and iteration, enabling designers and problem-solvers to quickly test and refine their solutions. For example, not including my first app where I was just figuring out the tools, I've gotten pretty fast at building apps and prototypes. With Glide, I recently built a pretty effective conference app in about a day. Changes to that app are fast and easy.
2. Generative AI can help identify patterns and solutions that may not have been immediately apparent to humans, leading to more creative problem-solving. Business Reporter called AI "autocomplete on steroids." This puts usable content at the fingertips of educators and students. Though students will be challenged the use the tool ethically and with integrity, it seems to be a net add for writing, searching, translating, and getting context for ideas.
3. Both no-code app development and generative AI offer greate
r flexibility in terms of customization and scalability, allowing for solutions to be tailored to specific needs and easily adapted as those needs evolve. Through easy drag-and-drop interfaces (no-code) and conversational information (generative AI), any educator or student can wrap their arms around challenging problems like never before.
And that, dear reader, is exactly what a designer does.