# Does AI Save Time on Product Design? A Randomized Controlled Experiment of AI Prompt-to-Design Workflows

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.26725 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.26725/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 20 of its 63 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 22 Sep 2026.

## Builds on (most cited first, 20 of 20)

- [The Impact of AI on Developer Productivity: Evidence from GitHub Copilot](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.06590/) (2023)
- [Measuring the Impact of Early-2025 AI on Experienced Open-Source Developer Productivity](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.09089/) (2025)
- [The Metacognitive Demands and Opportunities of Generative AI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.10893/) (2023)
- [Human Creativity in the Age of LLMs: Randomized Experiments on Divergent and Convergent Thinking](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.03703/) (2024)
- [The Effects of Generative AI on Design Fixation and Divergent Thinking](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.11164/) (2024)
- [Vibe Coding in Practice: Motivations, Challenges, and a Future Outlook -- a Grey Literature Review](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.00328/) (2025)
- [Vibe coding: programming through conversation with artificial intelligence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.23253/) (2025)
- [Code with Me or for Me? How Increasing AI Automation Transforms Developer Workflows](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.08149/) (2025)
- [Ironies of Generative AI: Understanding and mitigating productivity loss in human-AI interactions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.11364/) (2024)
- [How much does AI impact development speed? An enterprise-based randomized controlled trial](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.12944/) (2024)
- [Prototyping with Prompts: Emerging Approaches and Challenges in Generative AI Design for Collaborative Software Teams](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.17721/) (2024)
- [Good Vibrations? A Qualitative Study of Co-Creation, Communication, Flow, and Trust in Vibe Coding](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.12491/) (2025)
- [Canvil: Designerly Adaptation for LLM-Powered User Experiences](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.09051/) (2024)
- [The GenUI Study: Exploring the Design of Generative UI Tools to Support UX Practitioners and Beyond](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.13145/) (2025)
- [Generative AI for Product Design: Getting the Right Design and the Design Right](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.01217/) (2023)
- [Beyond Automation: How UI/UX Designers Perceive AI as a Creative Partner in the Divergent Thinking Stages](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.18778/) (2025)
- [The Impact of LLM-Assistants on Software Developer Productivity: A Systematic Review and Mapping Study](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.03156/) (2025)
- [Vibe Coding in Product Teams: Reconfiguring AI-Assisted Workflows, Prototyping, and Collaboration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.10652/) (2025)
- [The Fast and Spurious: Developer Productivity with GenAI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.24265/) (2025)
- [The Values of Value in AI Adoption: Rethinking Efficiency in UX Designers' Workplaces](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.05848/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

AI tools for digital product design now offer prompt-to-design capabilities, allowing designers and their non-designer colleagues to create prototypes through conversational workflows with large language models (LLMs). While these tools promise time savings, experimental evidence in product design remains limited compared with evidence from software engineering. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 50 product designers and 50 product managers to evaluate prospective time savings from leveraging Figma Make in design work. Participants attempted three standardized design tasks with or without access to Figma Make. Among participants who completed the study tasks, access to Figma Make was associated with approximately 20% shorter completion times, with larger gains among product managers. Our findings suggest that prompt-to-design tools may enable product managers to further contribute to design work, while the benefits for professional designers may be task dependent.