The Evolution of Product Development and What it Means for Researchers

While the rapid rise of AI prototyping tools has had some clear implications for designers and engineers, one could argue that how they affect the work of researchers has been less obvious. In fact, most AI gains for researchers have been about moving faster and/or going deeper into the same tasks we’ve always done, embedded in the same version of the product development lifecycle we’ve always operated in.

But if design and engineering are getting disrupted, doesn't it mean that the entire product development process is about to get upended? And if that is indeed the case, how well can our piecemeal approach to AI and Research hold up in a world that will look entirely different from the one we operate in today?

This talk will present a new model for product development as supported by AI prototyping tools, rooted in evidence and insights from across our industry. We'll then explore how this new model affects our craft and collaboration with our cross-functional partners, and how we as researchers need to adapt to best meet this unprecedented moment.