I Thought AI Was About Prompts.
I Was Wrong.

ReBorn Designs / Read Time: 7.8 min

When I was first designing with AI, I didn't fully understand it.

I thought it was about prompts. About getting the right words to generate the perfect image.

But I was wrong.

Recently at the Stride 2025 event, I gave an AI workshop that left designers from Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour standing against the walls just to attend. What surprised them most wasn't the tools themselves—it was the realization that

AI doesn't replace the designer's judgment; it amplifies it.

As I demonstrated my workflow using Newarc and Midjourney to the packed room, I noticed their expressions change from skepticism to understanding. This wasn't about letting algorithms design for us. It was about something much deeper.

The true value wasn't in the output—it was in the decisions.

"Think about what's happening here," I told the room. "Hundreds, if not thousands of micro-decisions."

This shape here—this wide, maybe a little wider. Maybe it sits higher. Or lower. One shape or two? Grey, or darker grey? It looks simple when you see the final image.

But behind it is a storm of instinct, intuition, and iteration.

The most successful footwear designers don’t know that 70% of styles get dropped before they ever reach production because of a fundamental misunderstanding about what design actually is.

The reality? 

We're not in the image-making business—we're in the decision-making business.

If you're ready to transform your design process and learn how to leverage AI as a true co-pilot rather than a replacement, book a free 30-minute discovery call. Let's build a design strategy that enhances your judgment rather than replaces it.

The Tool Didn't Make the Decision. I Did.

When working on the Sperry Resort Collection, I faced a critical challenge: creating 45+ SKUs with fresh, vacation-minded aesthetics while maintaining brand alignment. The pressure was enormous—especially when 40% of products that make it to market fail.

I could have taken the easy route—letting trends dictate the direction or relying entirely on tech to generate safe options.

Instead, I engaged in the hard work of micro-decisions:

• Not just selecting colors, but determining the precise relationship between them

• Not just placing elements, but crafting their proportions to the millimeter

• Not just choosing materials, but deciding exactly how they transition

Yes—the tools gave me outputs. But the tools didn't make the decisions.

I did.

This level of decisiveness transformed a potentially overwhelming project into a commercial success that led to me being asked to lead the next season's collection as well.

The difference wasn't talent. It was clarity of vision and confidence in my decision-making.

3 Types of Designers in the AI Era

After working with dozens of brands and teaching AI workshops, I've identified 3 distinct approaches to technology:

1. The Abdicator

Surrenders judgment to the machine, hoping technology will make decisions for them. Their work feels generic and lacks conviction.

2. The Rejector

Refuses new tools entirely, clinging to traditional methods out of fear or pride. Their work becomes increasingly disconnected from market realities.

3. The Navigator

Uses technology as a co-pilot, maintaining clear decision authority. Their work combines innovation with intentionality.

The most successful designs I've seen—whether at Timberland, Hush Puppies, or Sperry—came from Navigators who understood that the balance between commercial viability and brand authenticity requires confident human judgment.

How I Navigate Using AI & Design Tools

Here's the exact framework I use to make high-quality decisions when working with AI and design tools:

1. Define Clear Boundaries

Before opening any tool, establish your non-negotiables:

• Brand DNA elements that must remain intact

• Technical constraints that cannot be violated

• Core values that must be respected

This creates a "decision container" that focuses creativity productively.

2. Develop Your Decision Rhythm

Decisions require momentum. Move through options methodically:

• Spend 3-5 seconds on initial filtering (yes/no/maybe)

• Give 30 seconds to "maybe" options

• Invest 2-3 minutes in finalist evaluation

Speed prevents overthinking and builds decision confidence.

3. Document Your Decision Logic

After each major decision point, briefly note:

• What you chose and why

• What you rejected and why

• What specific elements influenced your judgment

This creates a decision audit trail that strengthens your intuition over time.

When I presented my final Resort Collection concepts to Sperry leadership, I didn't just show the designs. I shared the key decision points that shaped the collection's narrative. This transformed the conversation from subjective opinions about aesthetics to a strategic discussion about intentional choices.

The result? 

A higher approval rate and deeper stakeholder buy-in.

To The Next Generation of Designers

If my kids ever ask me what it takes to break into the footwear industry, I'd say this:

Learn how to see. Not just what's trending, but what's possible.

Your job isn't to push pixels. It's to lead with perspective.

The tools will keep changing. AI today, maybe something new tomorrow. But the eye? The ability to know what feels just right? That's timeless.

The designers who will thrive in the next decade won't be those with the most technical skills. They'll be those with the most refined judgment—those who can navigate the infinite grey area between possibility and practicality.

Strengthen Your Decision Muscle

1. Analyze Your Last Project

   • Identify 3-5 key decision points that shaped the outcome

   • For each, consider: Was this an active decision or a default?

   • What would have changed if you'd decided differently?

2. Start a Decision Journal

   • Document major design choices as you make them

   • Note both what you chose and what you eliminated

   • Review monthly to see patterns in your judgment

3. Practice Rapid Decision-Making

   • Set a timer for 10 minutes

   • Generate 20 quick variations of a concept

   • Force yourself to select the top 3 before time expires

Remember:
You don't need permission to start using new tools. You do need to take responsibility for the craft.

Learn the tools. But more importantly, learn how to shape the tools with your vision.

I'm proudest when I deliver a concept that feels timeless—like it always should have existed

But behind that simplicity? Ten minutes. Hundreds of decisions. One clear mind.

That's the real work.

And that's where the future lives.

Cheers!
Erin

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