Gamma: Most AI experiences miss the mark. Here's how one got it right.
An analysis of an AI user flow to generate an online document
I’ve tried 100+ AI tools. I recently tried Gamma's new AI beta. Most AI tools just want to give output without gathering input from the user. This causes friction bc users lack trust and autonomy during the creation process. They were an exception.
As we begin to incorporate AI into our daily workflows to complete our own “jobs to be done” its essential tools help us ease into the areas of our workflow that seem foreign that simple automation can execute.
AI products should guide users and provide opportunities for them to give their input as they direct AI on what to generate. It’s even safe to say from a product perspective when you’re designing user flows you need one JTBD for the user and another for your prompt engineering.
For Gamma, the hypothetical “job to be done” was, “When I want to create an online document listing different types of product frameworks, I want to generate a rough draft so I can send it faster.”
Several AI tools get this wrong because they don’t allow users to provide sufficient input for them to gain trust with the product because it’s a gamble of what AI will produce.
So let’s break this down with Gamma’s onboarding:
1. It was clear they mapped out this JTBD with the initial screen I encountered by giving me three simple options to choose from. I choose the document option.
2. They asked me what I wanted my document to be about.
3. They generated me an outline I was easily able to edit.
4. After I edited my outline, they let me choose a theme.
5. They didn’t forget the user is still on the app when it’s loading
6. They generated a document for me! While this feels like a website/slide deck, this is an efficient way to communicate (in minimal time) a list of product frameworks in an aesthetic, yet effective way.
Parting thoughts
As products begin to incorporate AI into their existing workflows or design them from scratch, it’s important to keep in mind: create an experience that builds trust with your users by giving them autonomy and agency for customization.
When users are creating something, they want to feel like they are accomplishing a task, rather than just receiving output without any effort involved in the process. Remember: users are learning new workflows that might feel unnatural.
Create a user experience to be the guide in their journey to embed AI in their daily workflows.