How I worked side-by-side with AI to speed up the design and testing of a warm, helpful support platform tailored for Hong Kong designers building their careers in the UK — transforming scattered insights into a focused experience.
the challenge
Many talented Hong Kong designers, despite their skills, face significant barriers when trying to re-establish their careers in the UK. Research showed that nearly 40% had not yet returned to their profession. This wasn't a talent issue; it was a support issue. I was driven to create a platform that would bridge this gap, fostering a community where designers could find peer support, mentorship and the resources needed to thrive.
Before any design began, I focused on the human experience. My research identified three core user pain points: finding support was difficult, the process was unclear, and information was scattered across countless platforms. To address this directly, I developed detailed personas and user journey maps that became the foundation of the entire project — like Siu Fan, a 3D animation artist who needs a design career mentor session for advice about job interviews — ensuring every design decision was rooted in real user needs.
the process
Step 1 · The blueprint. I consolidated all my research into a comprehensive project brief, then collaborated with Gemini to transform it into a detailed set of website instructions — a complete blueprint defining the information architecture and content strategy.
Step 2 · Instant prototyping. I fed these AI-generated instructions directly into Magicpath. This instantly generated a high-fidelity, interactive webpage design, allowing me to bypass hours of manual wireframing and focus immediately on refinement.
Step 3 · Human-led refinement. My role then shifted to that of a creative director. I fine-tuned the homepage's design system and, to optimise usability, developed four designs for A/B testing.
Step 4 · Building out the vision. With the core design established, I efficiently guided the AI to build out the remaining key pages — Resources, Events and My Profile — ensuring a cohesive user experience across the entire platform.
the result
By adopting AI-driven tools, I was able to streamline the creative process, allowing for rapid prototyping and iteration. Machine-learning-driven personalisation tailors content and resources to individual users, offering recommendations that are relevant and timely. The partnership between human creativity and AI efficiency resulted in a platform that is aesthetically pleasing, highly functional and responsive to the dynamic needs of its users — a digital space that empowers designers to connect, learn and grow, bridging continents and cultures.
