Google Head of UX Mr. Hu：在 AI 時代下，看見 UX 的下一個十年——設計不再是介面，而是理解「人」的能力
在人工智慧快速重塑產品設計流程的時代，UI 製作愈來愈容易，Vibe Coding 類工具也逐漸普及，讓許多 UX 新人擔心：「如果 AI 會自動生出介面，那還需要設計師嗎？」
身為 Google 的 Head of UX，老胡觀察到一個明確趨勢：AI 並不會讓 UX 被取代，反而會讓設計師的真正價值更被放大。UX 的本質從來不是畫面產出，而是洞察使用者行為、定義問題，並確保產品能被真正採用。本次專訪，他從職涯、人類行為、AI 趨勢到跨域合作，深入談論 UX 的下一個十年，也給出對求職者最實際的建議。
In an era where artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping product design workflows, creating a UI has become easier than ever. With the rise of tools like Vibe Coding, many young UX designers are beginning to wonder:“If AI can generate interfaces automatically, will we still need designers?”
For Ｍr. Hu, Head of UX at Google, the answer is clear:AI will not make UX less important—it will only reveal who truly understands it.“The core of UX has never been about drawing screens,” he says. “It’s about understanding user behavior, defining the right problems, and helping products actually get adopted.”In this conversation, Hu dives deep into topics ranging from career paths and human behavior to AI trends and cross-disciplinary collaboration, offering a look into the next decade of UX—and some candid advice for the next generation of designers.
一、從建築跨入科技：設計的核心始終是「人」
談起自己的背景，老胡並非典型科技人。他主修建築，後來一路走向互動設計、工程與 UX。
老胡說：「建築與 UX 的共同點都是『理解人在特定情境中的行為』，建築設計的是空間裡的人如何活動、如何理解動線；UX 則是設計人在數位介面上的行為。只是場域不同，本質是一樣的。」
也因為建築背景，他進入科技產業後，更專注於：
使用者如何理解資訊
操作動機從哪裡來
動線是否順暢
不同族群是否能輕鬆使用
技術限制如何影響體驗
他認為，這些深入的人類行為觀察，遠比畫面本身更影響產品成敗。
1. From Architecture to Tech: The Core of Design Is Always About People
Hu’s background isn’t the typical tech story. He studied architecture before moving into interaction design, engineering, and ultimately, UX.
“Architecture and UX share the same essence,” he explains. “Both are about understanding how people behave within specific contexts. Architecture designs how people move and perceive space; UX designs how they act within digital environments. The setting changes—but the essence is the same.”
This architectural foundation shaped his approach to technology. He became particularly focused on:
How users interpret information
What motivates them to take action
Whether interaction flows feel natural
Whether diverse user groups can use a product easily
How technical constraints impact experience
For Hu, these behavioral insights matter far more than aesthetics—they determine whether a product succeeds or fails.
二、設計與工程的語言需要「翻譯」：UX 的價值就是對齊團隊
訪談中，他反覆提到 UX 的工作其實不像大家想像的那麼「美學中心」。更大的挑戰是團隊協作。他說：「很多設計師不理解工程限制，很多工程又不理解設計真正的目的。」
於是，UX 經常面臨三方壓力：
設計 希望呈現最佳體驗
工程 注重可行性與效能
PM 掌握時程、指標與風險
這三方語言不同、思考方式不同，常造成誤解。
「我在團隊中的一大職責其實是『翻譯』──把設計師的語言轉成工程能理解的形式，也把工程限制變成設計能接受的框架。」
他認為成熟的 UX 設計師，必須能：
理解技術限制並提出具可行性的方案
以 PM 的思維看待取捨
以使用者的角度重新定義需求
2. Translating Between Design and Engineering: The Real Value of UX Is Alignment
UX, Hu emphasizes, is not about aesthetics. It’s about collaboration.
“Many designers don’t understand engineering constraints, and many engineers don’t understand the real intent behind design,” he says.
This creates constant tension between:
Design, which aims for the best experience
Engineering, which focuses on feasibility and performance
Product management, which balances timelines, metrics, and risks
“A big part of my job is translation—turning design ideas into something engineers can act on, and reframing technical limits so designers can work creatively within them.”
A mature UX designer, he believes, must be able to:
Understand technical constraints and propose feasible solutions.
Think like a product manager when making trade-offs
Redefine needs from the user’s perspective
三、AI 與 Vibe Coding 時代：UX 從「製作」走向「思考」
談到 AI 工具對設計流程的影響，老胡說得很直接：「AI 會畫畫面，但它不知道使用者為什麼要用這個東西。」
他認為 AI 能做的很多：能自動生成 UI layout 、協助快速產生原型、將文字需求轉換成畫面 、產生互動流程建議。
但 AI 無法做到： 觀察使用者行為、理解不同族群的心理模式、做策略取捨、重塑產品定位、定義真正的問題 。
他特別點名「Vibe Coding」這類工具，指出它們正在降低「介面製作」的門檻，讓初學者也能很快做出「像是設計」的東西。「然而這不會取代設計，而是讓設計師能把時間花在更重要的地方。」例如：
為什麼使用者會在這裡卡住
這個流程是否符合人性
在多模態情境下使用者會怎麼理解
「AI 讓新手更快開始，但真正會變厲害的人，是能深入思考『使用者為什麼要這樣做』的人。」
3. The Era of AI and Vibe Coding: From Making to Thinking
When asked about how AI tools are changing design, Hu is straightforward:
“AI can draw the screen—but it doesn’t know why the user needs it.”
AI can now automate much of what designers used to do manually: generate UI layouts, create prototypes, translate text prompts into visual interfaces, even suggest interaction flows.
But what AI still cannot do is:
Observe real user behavior
Understand psychological patterns across demographics
Make strategic trade-offs
Redefine a product’s positioning
Identify the real problem to solve
Hu specifically points to Vibe Coding tools, which lower the barrier to creating polished interfaces.
“That doesn’t replace design—it frees designers to focus on more meaningful work,” he says.
Such as:
Why are users getting stuck here?
Is this flow intuitive?
How do people interpret interactions in multimodal contexts?
“AI helps beginners get started faster,” Hu adds, “but great designers are the ones who can think deeply about why users do what they do.”
四、面試 UX 設計師：我看的是思維，不是畫面
身為 Head of UX，他每年面試大量 UX 設計師。他強調：「作品集好不好看，不會影響我是否邀請面試。我更看重的是思考方式，以及有沒有辦法『溝通』。」
他最重視：
問題定義能力：你理解使用者真正的痛點嗎？
決策過程與取捨：你為什麼選 A？為什麼放棄 B？
資訊整理能力：你能讓複雜資訊變得可理解嗎？
跨團隊溝通能力：你能跟其他協作者有效的溝通？
使用者洞察：你能描述行為背後的動機嗎？
他說：「如果作品集只有視覺畫面，我無法判斷你的價值。 但如果你能說明思路，我會立刻想和你深入談。」
4. Hiring UX Designers: I Look at How You Think, Not How It Looks
As Google’s Head of UX, Hu interviews numerous designers each year.
“Whether a portfolio looks beautiful doesn’t affect whether I invite someone to interview,” he says. “What matters is how they think—and how they communicate.”
He looks for five key qualities:
Problem definition: Do you truly understand user pain points?
Decision-making process: Can you explain your choices and trade-offs?
Information structuring: Can you make complex things easy to grasp?
Cross-functional communication: Are you able to communicate effectively with collaborators from other teams?
User insight: Can you describe the motivations behind behaviors?
“If a portfolio only shows visuals, I can’t tell what value you bring,” Hu notes. “But if you can explain your reasoning, I’ll immediately want to talk to you.”
五、未來五年的 UX：從介面設計走向「由使用者主導的體驗」
老胡指出，未來的 UX 正從「設計師定義介面」走向「使用者能自主塑造體驗」。
設計的焦點將從畫面產出轉向建立能隨使用者需求調整的互動架構。
在此轉變下，設計師不再專注於繪製頁面，而是負責定義核心規則、使用邏輯與調整機制。
隨著使用情境愈加多元，UX 的價值在於打造具彈性與可擴充性的體驗基礎，使系統能根據使用者行為自動適應。
這也使跨領域能力變得關鍵。理解技術、商業、心理與行為科學，將決定設計師能否處理完整的體驗架構，而非僅限於介面表層。
最關鍵的變化，是使用者將能定義自己的流程，甚至調整 UI。產品將從「按照設計流程操作」轉向「依個人偏好運作」，讓使用者能重新配置資訊與功能，並讓系統保留並擴大這些偏好。
這代表 UX 正逐步邁向新階段——以使用者主導、以適應性系統為核心的體驗設計。
5. The Next Five Years of UX: From Interface Design to User-Led Experiences
Ｍr. Hu notes that UX is shifting from “designer-defined interfaces” to experiences that users can actively shape. The focus is moving away from producing screens and toward building interaction frameworks that adapt to user needs.
In this transition, designers will no longer concentrate on page-level output. Instead, they will define the core rules, logic, and adaptive mechanisms that guide how a system behaves. As usage scenarios become increasingly diverse, the value of UX lies in creating flexible, extensible foundations that allow products to adjust dynamically based on user behavior.
This shift also elevates the importance of cross-disciplinary skills. Understanding technology, business, psychology, and behavioral science will determine whether designers can manage the full experience architecture rather than remain at the surface level of UI.
The most significant change is that users will be able to define their own flows—and even customize their own UI. Products will move from “following the designed process” to “operating according to individual preferences,” enabling users to rearrange information and functions while the system learns and expands upon these choices.
This marks a new phase for UX—one centered on user-led, adaptive systems.
六、給新世代 UX 求職者的建議：「先培養聯想能力，答案自然會浮現。」
談到 UX 新人，老胡認為真正重要的不是解題速度，而是能否看見問題。他說：「AI 能快速產生答案，但只有人類能提出有價值的問題。」
他強調，設計的核心能力其實是「聯想」——能從觀察中推敲、從細節中延伸、從線索中想像「人會怎麼想、為什麼這麼做」。
因此他建議 UX 求職者：
多聽、多看、多想：
觀察人們的行為、語氣、選擇，並思考背後的理由，而非只看結果。想像「使用者的想法」：
不是做問卷式的猜測，而是真正設身處地去推演情境與決策過程。理解技術與工程的邏輯：
能與工程對話，才能知道哪裡能突破、哪裡會受限。學會結構化思考：
包含資訊架構、流程拆解、動機推論，這些都是聯想能力得以落地的工具。在跨團隊環境中發展語言能力：
好的設計師能讓各角色理解「人為什麼這樣想」，並用共同語言把洞察變成決策。
「UX 的本質不是美感，而是理解人。AI 能補足工具，但不能取代你對人的理解。」
6. Advice for the New Generation of UX Designers:“Develop Associative Thinking First—The Answers Will Follow.”
When speaking about junior UX designers, Mr. Hu emphasizes that what truly matters is not how quickly someone can solve a problem, but whether they can see the real problem.
As he puts it, “AI can generate answers instantly, but only humans can decide which questions are worth asking.”
He highlights that the core skill of design is associative thinking—the ability to infer from observations, extend insights from subtle cues, and imagine what people might think or why they behave a certain way.
Based on this, he offers several recommendations for aspiring UX designers:
Listen more, observe more, think more:
Pay attention to people’s behaviors, tone, and choices. Consider the reasoning behind them, not just the visible outcomes.Imagine what the user is thinking:
Not through superficial guessing or surveys, but by mentally simulating their context and decision-making process.Understand technology and engineering constraints:
Communicating with engineers reveals what is possible, what is difficult, and where innovation can happen.Develop structured thinking:
Information architecture, flow analysis, and motivation mapping help turn associative thinking into actionable design.Strengthen cross-team communication:
Effective designers can articulate why users think or act a certain way, turning insights into shared decisions.
“The essence of UX is not aesthetics—it’s understanding people.
AI can augment your tools, but it cannot replace your ability to interpret human behavior.”
結語：在 AI 時代，UX 不是被取代，而是被重新定義
AI 與 Vibe Coding 工具的出現，降低了介面製作門槛，但真正的 UX 並不是畫面本身，而是對使用者行為的洞察、對系統的理解、對跨部門的整合能力。
在這樣的變化之下，設計師的角色不會消失，而是從「介面製作者」轉為「體驗架構者」、「問題定義者」與「產品策略思考者」。
這些能力，也正是 AI 無法取代的部份。
Conclusion: In the Age of AI, UX Is Not Being Replaced—It’s Being Redefined
AI and Vibe Coding tools have lowered the barrier to interface creation, but true UX has never been about pixels. It’s about user insight, system understanding, and cross-functional alignment.
As the landscape evolves, designers won’t disappear—they’ll transform.
From interface makers to experience architects. From problem solvers to problem definers. From screen designers to strategic thinkers.
And these are precisely the capabilities that AI cannot replace.
