top of page
Integrating AI into My UX Research Workflow
How I leverage Artificial Intelligence as a strategic partner to enhance efficiency and perspective,
while always grounding the work in human-centered expertise.

I. Research Planning

How I Use AI:

  • Secondary/Desk Research: Using tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT for quick, data-supported answers and theme identification.

  • Grounded Synthesis: Using NotebookLM Pro to synthesize data based on specific uploaded datasets (research notes, transcripts, articles), reducing hallucinations and enabling quick summaries of sources like YouTube videos.

  • Competitive & Market Analysis: Leveraging Claude for competitive research, market analysis, social listening, and online ethnography to gain a holistic view of the opportunity landscape.

  • Method Exploration: Getting quick rundowns of UX methods and citations.

  • Question Generation: Brainstorming initial research questions when blocked.

  • Protocol & Script Drafting: Generating draft guides based on project goals for refinement.

  • Summarization: Quickly summarizing articles and spotting design trends.

  • Brainstorming: Using tools like Notion AI for bouncing around app/concept ideas.

​

Why I Use AI Here:

  • To save time, broaden perspective, ensure grounding in specific data, and act as a creative thought partner.​
    ​

Where My Expertise Comes In:

  • Knowing what to ask and how to frame prompts effectively.

  • Selecting and curating the right datasets for grounded synthesis (e.g., in NotebookLM Pro).

  • Verifying all AI outputs (especially stats/citations) against hallucinations.

  • Defining research objectives, constraints, and context.

  • Deciding when and where AI adds value; providing necessary guidance and oversight.

II. Conduct Research

How I Use AI:

  • Transcription: Using AI tools to capture session audio, freeing me to focus.

  • Live Summarization/Note-Taking: Leveraging AI for real-time summaries or key point highlighting.

  • Clip Refinement: Using AI to help edit out filler words (like “um”s) from research video clips for cleaner playback and analysis.

​

Why I Use AI Here:

  • To automate repetitive tasks, allowing more presence with participants and streamlining post-session processing.

​​

Where My Expertise Comes In:

  • Moderating conversations, reading non-verbal cues, and adapting mid-interview.

  • Building empathy and rapport – essential human skills for participant comfort.

  • Using judgment and adaptability when unexpected situations arise.

  • Ensuring AI editing doesn’t inadvertently remove important nuance or context.

III. Analysis & Synthesis

How I Use AI:

  • Thematic Analysis: Using LLMs to surface high-level and sub-themes (often grounded with tools like NotebookLM Pro).

  • Pattern Detection: Sifting through large datasets to flag patterns/outliers.

  • Process Enhancement: Utilizing AI agents for automating repetitive analysis tasks and providing initial data insights.

  • Summarizing Research: Creating early drafts of summaries/findings.

  • Predicting Stakeholder Reactions: Prompting AI to anticipate pushback or risks.

​

Why I Use AI Here:

  • To speed up analysis, explore patterns differently, handle large data volumes, and automate routine steps.

​​

Where My Expertise Comes In:

  • Crafting smart prompts and using techniques like chain-of-thought.

  • Evaluating if AI insights are deep enough for decisions or just surface-level.

  • Watching for and mitigating bias in AI output.

  • Connecting insights to strategic business goals.

  • Catching nuances AI misses and using researcher's intuition.

  • Deciding what’s important and how to structure the narrative.

IV. Ideation & Design

How I Use AI:

  • Idea Generation: Tapping AI for early brainstorming or alternative directions.

  • Content Style Guides: Using Claude to help build guides based on personas, values, and insights (including UX writing).

  • Mockups & Prototypes: Leveraging tools like Firebase Studio, Lovable, v0 by Vercel, and Gemini 2.5 Pro to rapidly create mockups, working flows, and prototypes from prompts or sketches.

  • Video Creation: Using Descript for efficient video editing, audio cleaning, and creating highlight reels or product demos.

  • Trend Research: Surfacing current UX/UI trends for inspiration.

  • Placeholder Content: Generating quick mock text or data.

  • Personalization Insights: Exploring how AI could enable personalized user experiences based on behavior, informing design choices.

​

Why I Use AI Here:

  • To overcome creative blocks, accelerate the design/prototyping process, and maintain momentum.

​​

Where My Expertise Comes In:

  • Keeping design human-centered, reflecting real user needs over AI suggestions.

  • Using deep user understanding from research to evaluate/reject AI ideas and outputs.

  • Guiding AI generation tools with clear prompts and iterative refinement.

  • Integrating real user feedback iteratively – something AI can’t simulate.

  • Communicating design rationale and collaborating cross-functionally.

V. Evaluation & Testing

How I Use AI:

  • Drafting Questions/Tasks: Generating rough drafts for surveys or study tasks.

  • Simulating Personas: Bouncing ideas off AI personas for quick checks on clarity or potential flaws.

  • Qualitative Analysis: Getting a head start on analyzing open-text feedback or post-test comments.

​

Why I Use AI Here:

  • To speed up test preparation and explore early reactions to concepts efficiently.

​​

Where My Expertise Comes In:

  • Designing effective, appropriate methodologies for research goals.

  • Writing unbiased questions and tasks, avoiding AI pitfalls.

  • Interpreting data within the correct context of user behavior/motivations.

  • Prioritizing issues and guiding the team toward meaningful action based on real user data.

🚫 When I Avoid AI (or Use It With Caution)

  • Generating primary research data (AI doesn’t represent actual users).

  • Situations where empathy and trust-building are paramount.

  • Making high-stakes product decisions based solely on AI insights.

  • Sharing sensitive or proprietary information without approved, secure tools.

  • Areas where I lack the expertise to critically evaluate the AI’s output.

​

​

💡The Value of My Expertise

AI is fast, scalable, and efficient but it doesn’t replace the depth of critical design thinking. I bring:
 

  • Strategic Thinking: Defining clear research goals, choosing the right methods for each context, and framing problems in ways that align user needs with business outcomes.

  • Critical Evaluation: Surfacing deeper meaning, challenging superficial patterns, and identifying what truly matters.

  • Empathy and Ethics: Prioritizing user dignity, building trust, and navigating sensitive topics with care.

  • Synthesis: Making sense of complexity, connecting insights across data sources, and structuring compelling narratives.

  • Storytelling: Translating research into actionable strategy through compelling communication and cross-functional alignment.

  • Adaptability: Staying ahead of emerging tools while maintaining focus on timeless human principles.​​

© 2025 by HYORIM PARK  |  UX Leader

bottom of page