The Anticipatory Playbook
A UX Guide to Craft Anticipatory Experiences in the Age of AI
A UX Guide to Craft Anticipatory Experiences in the Age of AI
By Joana Cerejo
The Anticipatory Design Playbook is a practical and thought-provoking guide to crafting anticipatory experiences in an age defined by AI. Grounded in years of research and real-world design leadership, this book offers a comprehensive framework for designing AI-driven systems that align with user intent, respond to evolving behaviors, and remain transparent, adaptive, and human-centered.
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About the author
Joana Cerejo is a UX lead and researcher specializing in human-centered AI and anticipatory systems, with over a decade of experience. She holds a PhD in Digital Media from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, where she focused on anticipatory experiences and sustainable human–machine relationships. With a background spanning UX research and strategy, behavioral science, and data-driven design, she helps organizations craft intelligent experiences that prioritize transparency, adaptability, and user autonomy.
Since 2016, Joana has led the design of multiple AI-powered solutions across fintech, e-learning, accounting, retail, and manufacturing. Her work bridges theory and practice, often translating complex machine learning models into design opportunities that empower both users and teams.
She was nominated for the 2021 Women in AI Awards by VentureBeat. Since 2012, she has taught at universities and technical schools, mentoring new designers and sharing her knowledge. She is also a frequent speaker at design and technology conferences, where she advocates for more thoughtful, future-resilient systems grounded in human intent.
Since 2016, Joana has led the design of multiple AI-powered solutions across fintech, e-learning, accounting, retail, and manufacturing. Her work bridges theory and practice, often translating complex machine learning models into design opportunities that empower both users and teams.
She was nominated for the 2021 Women in AI Awards by VentureBeat. Since 2012, she has taught at universities and technical schools, mentoring new designers and sharing her knowledge. She is also a frequent speaker at design and technology conferences, where she advocates for more thoughtful, future-resilient systems grounded in human intent.
What is the focus of this book?
Unlike most resources focused solely on the technical side of AI, this book bridges design, behavioral science, and machine learning to equip designers, product leaders, and technologists with the tools to shape intelligent systems (before those systems negatively shape us). From foundational concepts in AI, machine learning, and data science to behavioral theory, ethical design, and foresight methods, Cerejo introduces a new design language for systems that think ahead.
Readers will learn to identify key AI patterns, interpret mental models, and strike a balance between autonomy and automation across predictive, conversational, and agentic systems. The book introduces a structured process—Anticipate, Imagine, Shape—that translates complex concepts into actionable UX strategies. Whether you’re designing AI assistants, hyperpersonalized services, or adaptive platforms, this playbook offers practical methods for designing systems that anticipate needs, reduce friction, and support long-term behavior change.
More than a framework, The Anticipatory Design Playbook urges us to reclaim our role in shaping the future of intelligent systems. It is a call to leave behind the illusion of certainty that forecasting provides. It invites us to design with foresight—to create systems that are not just efficient, but context-aware, participatory, and resilient to change.
Readers will learn to identify key AI patterns, interpret mental models, and strike a balance between autonomy and automation across predictive, conversational, and agentic systems. The book introduces a structured process—Anticipate, Imagine, Shape—that translates complex concepts into actionable UX strategies. Whether you’re designing AI assistants, hyperpersonalized services, or adaptive platforms, this playbook offers practical methods for designing systems that anticipate needs, reduce friction, and support long-term behavior change.
More than a framework, The Anticipatory Design Playbook urges us to reclaim our role in shaping the future of intelligent systems. It is a call to leave behind the illusion of certainty that forecasting provides. It invites us to design with foresight—to create systems that are not just efficient, but context-aware, participatory, and resilient to change.
" Forecasting can reveal what’s probable. Foresight asks what’s possible. Great design demands both."
Joana Cerejo, 2025
Joana Cerejo, 2025
Book Content
This section introduces designers to the world of AI, data science, and machine learning—not from a technical angle, but from a design perspective. It demystifies how intelligent systems work, clarifies common misconceptions, and establishes the vocabulary and mental models needed to engage meaningfully in AI-driven projects.
Part II explores what makes anticipatory systems different from reactive or merely personalized ones. It dives into behavioral science, temporal reasoning, and foresight techniques—laying the conceptual foundation for designing systems that do more than just predict what’s next.
Here, the book presents practical frameworks, including the Intent–Workflows–Algorithms model, to guide the development of intelligent, user-centered systems. It focuses on turning complexity into clarity and aligning automation with user autonomy.
The final section introduces a three-phase design process—Anticipate, Imagine, Shape—that supports the creation of adaptive, anticipatory services. It includes tools, patterns, and methods to help designers work across disciplines and create AI systems that are not only smart but also ethical, transparent, and responsive to human needs.
