AI Product Design
Shaping human-centered interfaces for AI copilots, from prompt UX to trustworthy handoffs between automation and people.
- Conversation-first onboarding
- Explainability patterns
- Evaluation loops
About
Calvin Ku — product designer & engineer
I craft AI-driven product experiences that feel intuitive, accountable, and fast. With a background that spans brand systems, front-end engineering, and product strategy, I help teams translate ambitious ideas into shipped reality.
Currently building at the intersection of interface design and applied ML. My work focuses on making complex systems legible—whether that’s visualizing autonomous workflows, designing guardrails for AI copilots, or documenting the components that teams rely on every day.
Previously, I led design systems at growth-stage startups, launched developer tooling products, and partnered with agencies to deliver end-to-end product experiences. I thrive on pairing qualitative research with telemetry to inform roadmaps and reveal the stories behind the numbers.
Outside the laptop: mentoring early-career designers, teaching workshops on systems thinking, and learning how to roast the perfect pourover.
Current focus
Where I’m spending the bulk of my time and curiosity right now.
Design Systems
Building resilient foundations—tokens, components, governance—that let teams ship faster without sacrificing craft.
- Tokens & theming
- Docs & adoption playbooks
- Accessibility guardrails
Systems Thinking
Mapping service blueprints, data flows, and feedback loops so teams share the same mental model and can iterate with confidence.
- Architecture mapping
- Content workflows
- Research synthesis
Speaking & press
Talks, workshops, and features. Reach out if you’d like me to join your event.
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Talk · 2024
Designing for AI-augmented Teams
SF Design Week
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Workshop · 2023
Ship Velocity with Type-Safe Content
Contentlayer Live
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Essay · 2022
Principles for Chat-Like Interfaces
UX Collective
Let’s collaborate
I partner with product teams to accelerate from strategy to shipping—whether that’s validating an AI assistant, evolving a design system, or crafting a differentiated brand moment.