20 Jul 2026
I first wrote about our experiences exploring how we can use AI to improve our design workflow back in April.
On the same day that I published that post, Anthropic launched a new product, Claude Design, which lets you collaborate with Claude to create polished visual work.
Flush with excitement last week from the incredible progress we had made from moving to a Spec-Driven Development (SDD) approach, I felt the time had come to put Claude Design through its paces, in the context of a real project.
The brief I gave Claude was simple. I have an initial design which has been reviewed. I have some feedback we need to consider. I want to collaborate to explore some new directions, which I will then use as the basis for an updated design.
The experience that followed was nothing short of mind-blowing.
As you would expect, the Claude Design user experience has been thoughtfully optimised for designing, with a large pannable canvas bordered by the chat area. As I answered Claude’s questions and provided feedback on its work, it effortlessly generated one idea after another, neatly presenting its work in the canvas for me to review.
After a couple of hours, our work was done, and I used the final set of wireframes it generated as the basis for an updated design, which was well received by all concerned.
What struck me the most about the experience was how effortless it was to collaborate. Claude’s understanding of my instructions was exemplary. Indeed, on one occasion, when I accidentally submitted a message halfway through typing it, it asked whether I had hit return by accident!
At this point, I have limited my experimentation to exploration, focused on using Claude as an exceptionally capable junior designer brimming with ideas and endless energy, with whom I can collaborate to fast-track the brainstorming process.
However, this is just the beginning. I haven’t even started exploring its effectiveness in more complex undertakings, such as generating handover-ready designs, or how its outputs can be integrated directly into our SDD approach. One thing is already for certain, though: AI-driven design is here, and my, isn’t it magnificent!
Author: Benjamin Colchester
