My 10 Game-Changing ChatGPT Prompts for Product Designers
Gethin Roberts
CEO at ITERATE ? Author of AI-Driven Product Design | Available from Amazon | TikTok ?? @the_product_innovator
In today's fast-paced design landscape, finding innovative solutions quickly can make all the difference - providing businesses with a competitive edge. As product designers, we're constantly seeking tools to enhance our creative process, particularly in those crucial early stages where divergent thinking is essential.
Having experimented extensively with AI tools in my design practice, I've curated these 10 powerful ChatGPT prompts specifically designed to unlock creativity and generate breakthrough ideas for product designers.
1. Problem Reframing
"I'm designing [product] for [target audience]. Instead of asking 'How can I solve [problem]?', what are 5 alternative ways to frame this challenge that might lead to more innovative solutions?"
Reframing is often the key to innovation. This prompt helps you step away from conventional problem statements and explore fresh perspectives.
2. Need Finding Through Personas
"Help me identify unmet needs in the [specific industry] by playing the role of different user personas: [persona 1], [persona 2], and [persona 3]. What pain points might each experience that they don't explicitly mention in user interviews?"
Sometimes the most significant opportunities lie in needs users haven't articulated yet.
3. Analogous Inspiration
"What are 3 examples of how [unrelated industry] solves problems similar to [my design challenge]? How might these approaches transfer to my product context?"
Cross-industry inspiration often leads to the most innovative solutions. This prompt helps you borrow concepts from unexpected places.
4. Constraint Storming
"I'm designing [product]. Generate 3 artificial constraints that would force me to think differently about this problem, then suggest how these constraints might lead to breakthrough ideas."
Constraints breed creativity. This prompt introduces helpful limitations that can spark unconventional thinking.
5. Future-Thinking Scenarios
"It's 10 years in the future. What might have changed about how people [relevant activity], and how might these changes affect what they need from [your product category]? Generate 3 scenarios."
Anticipating future needs can help you design products with longevity and transformative potential.
6. First Principles Analysis
"Break down [product/feature] into its fundamental functions and user needs. Then rebuild it from scratch, questioning every assumption about how it should work."
Sometimes innovation requires deconstructing established norms and rebuilding from first principles.
7. Value Proposition Canvas
"Help me complete a value proposition canvas for [product concept]. What are the customer jobs, pains, and gains? Then suggest unique ways my product could address these beyond what competitors offer."
This structured approach ensures your innovation efforts remain grounded in genuine user value.
8. Feature Ideation Mashup
"Take two seemingly unrelated successful products: [product A] and [product B]. Generate 5 innovative feature ideas for my [product] by combining elements from both."
Unexpected combinations often yield the most surprising and delightful solutions.
9. Extreme User Personas
"Create 3 extreme user personas for [product] - people at the edges of my target audience with amplified needs or unusual contexts."
Designing for edge cases frequently reveals insights that benefit mainstream users as well.
10. Reverse Assumptions
"List 5 core assumptions about how [product category] should work. Then challenge each one by asking 'What if the opposite were true?'"
Questioning fundamental assumptions is often the first step toward category-defining innovation.
These prompts have transformed my own design process, helping me push beyond obvious solutions toward truly innovative concepts. I encourage you to experiment with them in your next design challenge and share which ones yield the most valuable insights for you.
What other AI prompts have you found valuable in your design practice? Let me know what you think, I would be keen to share ideas.
Gethin Roberts | [email protected] | iterate-uk.com