"A prompt is a command we provide to AI so it can perform a task for us. When we interact with humans, our commands might be vague, but the great thing about humans is that we can ask clarification questions to understand the intention better. When it comes to AI, many times it simply does what we ask it to do. Yes, it can ask clarification questions, but this happens after the tool already generates something for us."
"Luckily, we can reuse the approach that we have in our society for this specific situation, and it's called protocol. Protocols are something that engineers, medical professionals, and officers use when they deal with a particular situation. The protocol minimizes the risk of mistakes/unwanted behavior and ultimately leads to more controlled output. When it comes to design with AI, I suggest treating your workflow as a protocol, not a chat."
Prompt treadmill occurs when designers endlessly rewrite prompts to make AI understand design intentions, causing stalled progress and wasted effort. Shift from prompts to protocols by defining reusable, parameterized templates that encode design intent, context, constraints, and platform details. Protocols minimize mistakes and unwanted behavior by providing structured, repeatable instructions similar to engineering or medical procedures. Use templates to supply context once and reuse across sessions, ensuring consistent outputs and fewer clarification cycles. Example protocol fields include Design Task, Brand Values, Visual Language, Platform, and Constraints to enforce accessibility and platform guidelines.
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