A key issue for future industrial work and design are the novel problems of designing intelligent technical systems. Major trends drive this change. First, AI is predicted to gradually enter further into aspects of industrial processes, in particular replacing and augmenting the work of operators. Second, more industrial work and design is moving into digital formats such as digital twins, augmented reality and the metaverse. Third, Industry 5.0 calls for a human-centric approach to industrial design. Thus, it is essential to consider the conceptual grounds of designing future technical artefacts and technologies. We are developing two new practical design tools: cognitive mimetics and human digital twins for AI designers. Cognitive mimetics analyses human information processing to be mimicked by intelligent technologies. Human digital twins provide a tool for modelling what people do based on the results of cognitive mimetics. Together they provide a new way of designing intelligent technology in individual tasks and industrial contexts.
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