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Motion graphic · 21-second loop · concept

Side project · Concept for Claude · AI UX

First Ask: helping anyone get a great answer from AI on the first try

AI assistants like Claude can do remarkable things, but they open on a blank box. Many people don't know what to ask, how much detail to give, or what to do with a long answer. First Ask is my concept for an onboarding and "ask builder" layer that starts from a goal, asks only what matters, and keeps answers easy to adjust.

MY ROLE
Self-initiated, solo — research, UX, UI, prototyping
PLATFORMS
Web and mobile chat
TIMELINE
Self-initiated, 2026
METHODS
Interviews, first-use observation, prototyping

A self-initiated concept. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic. Screens are illustrative.

01 — Why this project

I design for people who don't want to learn a new skill just to get help

At National Grid and NYC's Office of Technology and Innovation, my job has been turning complicated systems into simple steps for people under pressure. AI chat is the most powerful tool many people have ever been handed, and also one of the least guided. I wanted to apply the same thinking here: meet people where they are, and make the first experience a win.

02 — The problem

The blank box assumes you already know how to ask

Where do I start?
An empty input gives no hint of what's possible, so people ask small, vague questions — or nothing.
"Prompting" is a hidden skill
Good results depend on context, goal and format — things new users don't know to include.
Answers can overwhelm
A long answer to a simple question feels like homework, and rewriting the request feels like starting over.

03 — Who I designed for

Three people, one shared need: a useful answer, fast

The first-timer
"I keep hearing about AI. I don't know what it's for."
Needs: examples of what's possible
The busy professional
"I don't have time to write a perfect prompt."
Needs: a strong ask in a few taps
The cautious user
"How do I know this answer is right for me?"
Needs: transparency and easy control

04 — Design principles

Four rules for simpler AI

Start from a goal, not a blank box
Write, Plan, Learn, Analyze — choices people recognize.
Ask only what changes the answer
Two or three tappable questions at most, always skippable.
Show the ask — teach by doing
The built request is visible and editable, so people learn what a good ask looks like.
One tap to adjust
Simpler, Shorter, Make a checklist, Why this answer — no rewriting.

05 — The solution

Goal → two questions → your ask → an answer you can shape

First Ask sits on top of the normal chat. People who already know what to type can ignore it entirely. Everyone else gets a guided path that builds a clear request for them — and the answer comes back short, with one-tap ways to make it simpler, shorter, more structured, or more transparent.

What would you like to do?
Write
Emails, posts, letters
Plan
Trips, events, projects
Learn
Explain it simply
Analyze
Files, data, choices
Or just type — this is optional.
Start from a goal people recognize.
Two quick questions
What are you planning?
A tripAn eventA project
How detailed?
Quick listFull plan
YOUR ASK · EDITABLE
Plan a 3-day Lisbon trip for two — a quick, budget-friendly list.
Only the questions that change the answer — and the ask is visible.
3 days in Lisbon, on a budget
☐ Day 1: Alfama, Tram 28, sunset view
☐ Day 2: Belém and pastries
☐ Day 3: Sintra by train
SimplerShorterMake a checklistWhy this answer?
Short by default, with one-tap ways to reshape it.

06 — How I'd measure it

What success would look like

NORTH STAR
First useful answer
Share of new users whose first conversation ends in a kept, copied or acted-on answer.
RETENTION
Come back within 7 days
A good first experience should turn into a second visit.
LEARNING
Graduating to free typing
Over time, people should need the guide less — that means it taught them.
GUARDRAIL
No slowdown for experts
Experienced users should never be forced through the guided path.

These are goals for a concept, not measured results.

07 — Reflection

What this taught me

Simplicity is a sequence, not a screen. The goal wasn't to hide AI's power — it was to reveal it one step at a time, in the order people need it.

Good onboarding teaches itself away. Showing the built ask means people learn what a good request looks like, and eventually don't need the guide at all.