Shannon Zenner
Shannon Zenner
Assistant Professor, Communication Design, Elon University
Shannon Zenner is an assistant professor of Communication Design at Elon University, where she teaches courses in UX, graphic design, art direction, and web/mobile publishing. Her research explores how visual design, politics, and AI shape public perception, and she presents nationally on typography, creativity, and emerging technologies. With a background in advertising and a Ph.D. from UNC-Chapel Hill, she blends improvisational techniques and tech tools to help students and professionals embrace uncertainty as a creative asset. A proud Texan, she also believes proper nachos require individual chip architecture, with beans, cheese, and a single pickled jalapeño per chip.
Yes, And AI: Boost UX Ideation with Improv and Gen-AI
IMAX (Workshop), Wednesday 10:00 am - 10:45 am
What happens when you mix improv techniques with generative AI? You get a creativity engine that helps UX professionals break through blank-page paralysis, generate richer ideas, and navigate ambiguity with confidence. This session introduces improv-inspired, AI-supported methods like “Yes, And,” “World’s Worst Feature,” and “Genre Swap Personas.” Learn how these fast, flexible techniques spark better brainstorming, improve collaboration, and bring clarity to early-stage UX work, from workshops to sprints to classrooms.
