Building AI That Sticks: Design Strategies for Real-World Success

If you work in tech, you know the story: groundbreaking technology emerges, and a small group adopts it while the mainstream waits on the sidelines because it’s just not perfect yet. Geoffrey Moore’s adoption curve illustrates this phenomenon: a wide chasm separates early adopters from the mainstream. This is exactly where AI finds itself today.

We’re past the excitement of proof of concept. AI needs to be practical, intuitive, and undeniably valuable for the everyday user. Right now, 100% of Fortune 500 product teams are feeling the pressure to bridge this gap, yet very few have crossed it. At Orion Innovation, we’re tackling this challenge head on.

What Makes a Good Experience in the Age of AI?

The principles of good design remain timeless, whether we’re talking about AI-driven interfaces or traditional applications. When we think about what makes an experience truly exceptional, the answer is what it always was: they should be simple, intuitive, and familiar. 

Familiarity and Heuristics: The Cornerstones of Effective Design

Familiarity breeds comfort; users are more likely to engage with and appreciate an experience that feels intuitive and recognizable. This is where heuristics—general rules of thumb that guide user behavior—come into play.

By incorporating familiar design patterns, we can create AI experiences that resonate with users on a fundamental level. This is powerful because we can put something wholly new and unique in front of a user and they’ll intuitively see how to use it. This eliminates the learning curve that discourages many users from trying something new. 

Power and Efficiency: Achieving Goals Quickly 

The best experiences not only feel familiar but also empower users to accomplish tasks with minimal effort and maximum impact. By focusing on delivering powerful and efficient tools, we can ensure that our AI-driven experiences not only meet but exceed user expectations, driving satisfaction and long-term engagement. 

By harnessing these design principles, AI experiences can achieve the same level of effectiveness. Familiarity and heuristics contribute significantly to customer sentiment, usability, and retention. Users are more likely to return to and recommend experiences that feel natural and easy to navigate, while the powerful capabilities the app provides compel users to come back.

How to Design Good AI Experiences at Scale

At Orion, our focus is on transforming AI from a buzzword to a seamless, trusted experience that fits into the user’s life.

In our latest white paper, Building Smart Experiences: Your Guide to Designing Effective AI Solutions, we lay out the specific strategies that we believe will move AI into the mainstream.

We’re covering everything from the design principles that make AI “just work” to our framework for overcoming AI’s unique design challenges.

Ready to bring AI to the real world? Download the white paper here.

XD Director Matt Pendleton builds world-class products and organizations that integrate research, data, and behavioral science with human-centered design methods to drive a long-term vision and near-term business impact. Known for his thought leadership in the field of design, Matt is frequently invited to speak on the subject.