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Design Strategy Vibe Coding: Building with Purpose

  • Writer: Bradley Slinger
    Bradley Slinger
  • Oct 19
  • 9 min read

Updated: Oct 21

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"Strategy is the idea. Execution is the work. But without the idea, the work has no meaning."

Let's Start Here

In this moment, anyone with access to AI tools can generate a prototype in hours. The barriers have collapsed. The tools are democratic. But here's the truth:


Speed without strategy is just noise.

This isn't about gatekeeping. It's about impact.


What we're exploring here is how to combine the velocity of "vibe coding"—this new, intuitive way of building—with the discipline of strategic design. Not to slow you down, but to make sure when you move fast, you're moving in the right direction.



What Design Actually Is

Design isn't decoration. That's a fundamental misunderstanding we need to correct.


Design is the concept or proposal for an object, process, or system. A designer creates and executes plans. In digital products, design is the strategic discipline that shapes experience and interaction.


Think of it as architecture for behaviour.


The Design Pyramid

I want you to see design as three layers, each building on the one below:


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  1. Goals & Structure: Strategy, user needs, UX outcomes, core features. This is the why and the what.

  2. Flows & Usability: Navigation, interactions, task completion. This is the how.

  3. Visuals & Vibe: Colours, fonts, polish, delight. This is the expression.


Most people start at layer three. The builders who create lasting work start at layer one.


The Design Iceberg

What you see—the UI, the icons, the visual design, the animations—that's maybe 10% of the work.


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Beneath the surface:

Tactical UX: Interaction design, information architecture, wireframes, usability tests, user journeys, content strategy, psychology.


Strategic UX: User needs, objectives, constraints, critical thinking, feature prioritisation, goal definition, problem understanding, research.


The tip looks cool. But the iceberg is what keeps things from sinking.



How We Got Here: An Evolution


Waterfall Methodology

Timeline: 6-12 months


Clear goals. Detailed plans. Full alignment. Everyone knew the what, when, and how.


The cost: Rigid. Slow to change. Products often outdated by launch.


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Agile Methodology

Timeline: 2-week sprints


Fast. Iterative. Feedback-driven. Collaboration and learning through doing.


The cost: Strategy sacrificed for speed. Big-picture vision lost in the sprint cycle.


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Vibe Coding Methodology

Timeline: Hours to days


Concept to prototype instantly. Real-time iteration. Solo creativity unlocked.


The cost: Easy to skip strategy entirely. Risk of building fast in the wrong direction.


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This is where we are now. The question isn't whether to use these tools—it's how to use them with intention.



The Vibe Coding Process (And What Gets Skipped)

The typical workflow has five stages:


  1. Ideation (often skipped)

  2. Prompting

  3. Generation

  4. Testing (often skipped)

  5. Deployment


Notice what gets skipped? The thinking. The validation.


Those gaps—that's where strategy lives. That's where we're going to work.



Strategise, Then Stylise

Before you prompt, before you generate, pause.


Here's a framework—four questions that take maybe 15 minutes but can save you weeks of building in the wrong direction:


The 4-Question Design Check-In
1. Who is this for?

Get specific. "Everyone" is no one.

Are you building for:

  • Busy parents trying to coordinate schedules?

  • Freelance designers managing client chaos?

  • College students navigating ADHD?

  • Gamers tracking progress across multiple platforms?

The more specific you get, the better you can serve them.

Tool to try:  Jobs to be Done (JTBD) Framework for understanding user motivations.

2. What problem does it solve?

Not what it does—what pain does it remove?

Does it:

  • Save time?

  • Reduce anxiety?

  • Spark creativity?

  • Help people stay organized?

  • Create connection?

Focus on outcomes, not features. Features are "what." Outcomes are "so that."

Resources:  Brainstorm with Claude or ChatGPT, then refine with Nielsen Norman Group's outcome mapping.

3. How will you know it works?

What does success look like?

Is it:

  • User smiles?

  • Repeat visits?

  • Time saved?

  • Tasks completed?

  • Reduced support tickets?

Define your success metric before you build. This becomes your north star.

Tools to explore:

4. What's the smallest version you can prototype and test?

Strip it to the core. What's the one essential feature that proves your concept?

Build that first. Everything else can wait.

Think of versions like dominoes—what needs to fall first?

Approach:  Start with MVP principles, then use Bolt.new for rapid prototyping, Analytics for insights, user interviews, and micro-surveys for real data.


Create Your PRD (Product Requirements Document)

Take your four answers and distill them into a simple framework:


"This [product] helps [specific user] do [specific action] so that [meaningful outcome]."


Example:

"This app helps laid-off employees stay organized through the chaos so that they don't miss deadlines, lose benefits, or feel completely alone in the process."


That's your blueprint. That's what you prompt toward.


Tool recommendation: 

Try Curionaut's vibe coding AI assistant to help build your PRD and break your idea into bite-size prompts for Bolt or Cursor.



Tiny Research, Big Impact

You don't need a research lab. You need three simple activities:


1. Ask Three Humans

  • Yes, DMs count. Text a friend. Post in a Discord.

  • Ask: "Would you use this? What's confusing?"

  • Real feedback beats assumptions every time.


2. Check Three Competitors

  • What exists already?

  • What do users love?

  • What do they complain about?


Learn from others' wins and mistakes. Don't reinvent the wheel—just build a better one.


3. Test Your Prototype with One Real Person

Watch them use it. Stay quiet.


Notice where they:

  • Hesitate

  • Click wrong

  • Get confused

  • Say "wait, what?


One person reveals patterns you'd never see alone.


Tools to consider:



Laying the Digital Foundation

Before you start coding interfaces, establish the structure:


Information Architecture (IA)

Organise content intuitively. Group related information for easy access and discoverability.


Resources:

Define Key Workflows

Outline essential user journeys. Ensure smooth, logical interactions.


Remember:

  • C.R.U.D. = Create, Read, Update, Delete

  • Happy path vs sad path user flows

  • Edge cases matter


Tools to try:


Visualise Site Map

Develop a clear blueprint of pages and interconnections. Guide navigation and content placement.


Recommended tools:

Leverage AI for Design Context

Here's where it gets powerful: Use tools that bridge design and code.


Figma's Model Context Protocol (MCP) now allows AI coding agents in VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and Claude Code to access your design system—components, variables, styles, annotations.


This means your AI-generated code actually reflects your design intent, not just approximates it.


Key integration:



In the AI Era, Thoughtful Design Is Your Superpower


Ethical

Build with respect for people's time, attention, data, and wellbeing.


Good design doesn't manipulate—it empowers and serves users authentically.


Consider:

  • Data privacy (avoid prompting with sensitive user data)

  • Consent mechanisms

  • Transparent AI usage

  • Ethical AI guidelines


Inclusive

Design should work for everyone—different abilities, ages, backgrounds, contexts.

Accessibility isn't an add-on. It's core to great UX from day one.


Standards to follow:

Intentional

Simplicity beats gimmicks. Every feature should have a reason.

If you can't explain why it's there, it probably shouldn't be.


Less is often more powerful.

Differentiated

Great UX is your competitive edge.


AI can replicate features quickly. But thoughtful, strategic design creates experiences people remember and recommend.


This is where you can't be copied.



From Fuzzy Idea to Focused Prototype

Strategy transforms vague concepts into clear, actionable products.


Watch this evolution:


Fuzzy Start:

"I want to build an app to help people who've been laid off."


Getting Clearer:

"An app that organises everything someone needs to handle after being laid off—like benefits, paperwork, and next steps."


Focused & Testable:

"Helps laid-off employees track critical dates, documents, and tasks related to unemployment, insurance, and legal deadlines, while providing curated state resources and key contact info—all in one calming, easy-to-use dashboard."


See the difference? That last version you can actually build and test.



The Hybrid Approach: Strategy + Speed


Here's the model that works:

Use AI for:
Use human strategy for:

  • Rapid exploration

  • Quick prototyping

  • Design variations

  • Boilerplate code

  • Early-stage testing

  • Problem definition

  • User research

  • Goal alignment

  • Architectural planning

  • Production-grade refinement

  • Accessibility and ethics review

This isn't choosing one or the other. It's orchestrating both.



New Roles Emerging in This Space


As this practice evolves, new specialisations are emerging:

AI UX Strategist
Prompt QA Lead
Agent Orchestrator

Integrates AI capabilities into overall UX strategy. Bridges business goals with AI-enabled experiences.

Ensures quality, consistency, and safety of prompts. Tests for bias and effectiveness.

Designs and manages complex AI agent workflows. Ensures different AI modules work together seamlessly.

These roles recognise that in AI-enabled development, the most valuable work shifts from execution to orchestration. From making to directing. From coding to judgment.



Continue Your Design Education Journey


Design is a learnable skill that multiplies your impact as a builder.


Online Resources & Communities
Books & Frameworks

For Understanding Design:

  • How Design Makes the World by Scott Berkun - Best intro to good design

  • The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman - Classic human-centered design

  • Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug - Principles of intuitive navigation


For Ethical & Strategic Practice:

  • Conscious UX by Rikki Teeters - AI's ethical implications in design

  • UX Strategy by Jaime Levy - Deep dive into strategic frameworks

  • The User Experience Team of One by Leah Buley - Accomplishing more with less


For Fast-Paced Environments:

Tools Worth Exploring

For Design & Prototyping:

  • Figma - Design platform with AI features

  • Relume - AI-powered sitemaps and wireframes

  • Whimsical - Quick diagramming


For AI-Assisted Development:

For Research & Testing:

For Accessibility:



Final Thoughts

The speed of AI-powered development tools is revolutionary. But speed without direction creates noise, not value.


By pausing to ask the right questions, conducting minimal but meaningful research, and establishing clear structure before you code, you transform vibe coding from a party trick into a powerful product development approach.


This isn't about adding bureaucracy. It's about adding intention.


Remember: Strategise, then stylise.

The 15 minutes you spend thinking before building can save weeks of rebuilding in the wrong direction.


In this new era, the builders who combine velocity with vision—who move fast and move deliberately—those are the ones creating work that matters.


The tools are democratic now. The discipline is what differentiates.



"The question isn't can you build it fast. The question is: should you? And if yes—for whom, and why?"

That's the work. That's always been the work.


This is just the beginning.



Sources & References:


Research & Industry Reports

DORA State of AI-assisted Software Development 2025

https://dora.dev/dora-report-2025/


https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/2025_state_of_ai_assisted_software_development.pdf


Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025

https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2025/


https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2025/ai


Vibe Coding for UX Design (arXiv)

https://arxiv.org/html/2509.10652v1


https://www.arxiv.org/pdf/2509.10652


McKinsey: How AI is Transforming Strategy Development

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-ai-is-transforming-strategy-development


Hidden Benefits of Vibe Coding That Most Teams Miss

https://content.trickle.so/blog/hidden-benefits-of-vibe-coding-that-most-teams-miss


What is Vibe Coding? AI-powered Software Development Guide

https://zbrain.ai/what-is-vibe-coding/


Design in the Age of AI

https://medium.com/design-bootcamp/design-in-the-age-of-ai-2d136f5c5b08

UX Strategy & Research

Nielsen Norman Group - UX Strategy: Definition and Components

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-strategy/


Nielsen Norman Group - Information Architecture Study Guide

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ia-study-guide/


Nielsen Norman Group - UX Research Cheat Sheet

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ux-research-cheat-sheet/


AI for UX Strategy: How Smart Teams Are Using It to Win

https://standardbeagle.com/ai-for-ux-strategy/


AI for UX Research: Complete Guide (2025)

https://www.parallelhq.com/blog/ai-ux-research


Roadmap for an AI-Powered UX Design Agent

https://medium.com/design-bootcamp/roadmap-for-an-ai-powered-ux-design-agent-676ce4e3d12d


Learn More Faster: How to Find Your Bullseye Customer and Their Perfect Product

https://www.learnmorefaster.com/


Design Strategy with Vibe Coding

https://gamma.app/docs/design-strategy-with-vibe-coding-ptuq9mjxli2q9gh?mode=doc

Accessibility & Ethics

Best Practices for Inclusive AI Testing

https://www.inclusionhub.com/articles/best-practices-for-inclusive-ai-testing


Accessible AI: Ensuring WCAG Compliance in Chatbots

https://a11ypros.com/blog/accessible-ai


W3C - Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools List

https://www.w3.org/WAI/test-evaluate/tools/list/


The Future of Accessibility Compliance in an AI-Driven World

https://www.pivotalaccessibility.com/2025/09/the-future-of-accessibility-compliance-in-an-ai-driven-world/


AI Ethical Guidelines

https://library.educause.edu/resources/2025/6/ai-ethical-guidelines


AI Data Governance: Privacy, Consent & Storage Guide

https://quokkalabs.com/blog/ai-data-governance-privacy-consent-storage/


AI Coding Ethics

https://www.createq.com/en/software-engineering-hub/ai-coding-ethics


Ethical Considerations in AI Code Generation

https://sanj.dev/post/ethical-ai-code-generation

Security & Development Practices

Vibe Coding Security Vulnerabilities: Risks, Examples, and Mitigation

https://blog.vidocsecurity.com/blog/vibe-coding-security-vulnerabilities


Vibe Coding: When Everyone's a Developer, Who Secures the Code?

https://www.securityweek.com/vibe-coding-when-everyones-a-developer-who-secures-the-code/


AI Coding Assistant ROI: Real Productivity Data 2025

https://www.index.dev/blog/ai-coding-assistants-roi-productivity


How Much Does AI Impact Development Speed?

https://arxiv.org/html/2410.12944v2


Vibe Coding in Practice: Motivations, Challenges, and a Framework

https://arxiv.org/html/2510.00328v1

Education & Community




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