Andr•AI
Summary
For my dad’s milestone 70-something birthday, he asked for a gift that would help him “make the most of ChatGPT”. A great brief, and one I figured I’d execute in the most over-the-top and over-designed way possible! Introducing Andr-AI (for André, my dad).
Zero to hero Direct link
I created a two-week syllabus designed to teach him how to use ChatGPT effectively and seamlessly integrate it into daily life. Starting with the basics like downloading the app and exploring its features, we progressed from simple prompt writing to advanced research and deep AI-based learning. Each of the 14 daily lessons was presented as a unique, interactive card.
I had some fun with the visual design. Because why not… it’s not often you get to design for an audience of one! Gratuitous animaton, exploding confetti, blurs and squishy bubbles… it had it all!
They say the best way to master a subject is to teach it. Creating this course proved invaluable for refining my own understanding of how I use AI and how to guide others, especially designers, in building user-friendly tools for beginners. Instead of basic “summarize this text” or “help me plan dinner” tasks, I focused on creative, practical applications like interpreting files and dodging parking fines.
A lesson a day 🍏Direct link
With the help of AI to build out some of the JavaScript logic, the app revealed a new lesson card each day, which could be marked as completed. Each lesson increased in complexity and aimed to reward progress with “aha!” 💡 moments, showcasing the true magic of AI.
Daily prompts Direct link
Even when the course was complete, I wanted to make sure that the app was still useful. So to encourage ongoing use, I included a 30-day feature that presented a fun daily prompt idea whenever the app was opened. This was key for turning AI interactions into a habit.
Did it work?Direct link
Time will tell. But he claims to have loved it, and is certainly sending more bizarre facts than usual. I've also shared the course with a bunch of people who are interested in AI, but don't have much experience... and they love it too!
Through writing the course I came to better understand the importance of writing good prompts, when to engage AI, and how to lean on context to build better outcomes. So it helped me, too. It was a good lesson in how to use AI for pair-coding, and how to never trust AI code.
Sadly this cute code never made the cut. I still love it though.