In a recent LinkedIn post, Melissa Perri explores a novel approach to integrating User Experience (UX) talent within product development, particularly in the context of AI prototyping. Instead of viewing AI as a replacement for UX professionals, Perri suggests a strategy of leveraging UX expertise to empower other roles, such as product managers, to create better prototypes more efficiently.
Strategic Enablement Over Bottlenecks
Perri highlights a past experience at athenahealth, where the UX leadership proactively built a design system that product managers could utilize directly for prototyping. This approach, she notes, was crucial in avoiding the creation of bottlenecks within the development process.
“Instead of creating bottlenecks, their UX leader built a design system that product managers could use directly for prototyping.”
As Perri explains, the core of this strategy was about strategic enablement. This involved equipping product managers with the necessary tools, templates, and frameworks, coupled with periodic reviews for quality assurance rather than strict approval gates at every stage. This method, she argues, allows teams to maintain velocity without sacrificing quality standards.
The Role of UX Talent in Systemic Design
Perri emphasizes that the value of UX talent is not diminished by the advent of AI tools, but rather its role can be elevated. The focus shifts from individual design creation to building systems that enable others.
“The best UX teams don’t just create great designs, workflows, and prototypes. They create systems that help others create great stuff too.”
This systemic approach, according to Perri, involves providing essential components like component libraries, prototyping guidelines, and clear design principles. When these elements are well-defined and accessible, they provide the necessary support for teams to innovate rapidly while adhering to organizational standards.
Empowerment Through Structure
Perri’s post challenges the notion that AI will replace UX designers. Instead, she proposes that UX professionals can act as crucial enablers, structuring the environment and providing the foundational elements that allow product managers and other team members to excel in prototyping, especially in the rapidly evolving field of AI.
“Don’t skip on UX talent when it’s critical for your users. But leverage the tools and structure things with strong UX support so you can empower others to do good work that aligns with organizational standards.”
By implementing such a system, organizations can ensure that their product development processes are both agile and user-centric. Perri concludes by posing a critical question to her network:
“How are you structuring the relationship between Product and UX in your organization?”
This question invites further discussion on how companies can best foster collaboration and leverage the unique strengths of both product management and UX design in the age of AI.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Melissa Perri on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on November 24, 2025 | View original post on LinkedIn →