design process
GRAPHIC--Guidelines for Reviewing Algorithmic Practices in Human-centred Design and Interaction for Creativity
Martins, Joana Rovira, Martins, Pedro, Boavida, Ana
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been increasingly applied to creative domains, leading to the development of systems that collaborate with humans in design processes. In Graphic Design, integrating computational systems into co-creative workflows presents specific challenges, as it requires balancing scientific rigour with the subjective and visual nature of design practice. Following the PRISMA methodology, we identified 872 articles, resulting in a final corpus of 71 publications describing 68 unique systems. Based on this review, we introduce GRAPHIC (Guidelines for Reviewing Algorithmic Practices in Human-centred Design and Interaction for Creativity), a framework for analysing computational systems applied to Graphic Design. Its goal is to understand how current systems support human-AI collaboration in the Graphic Design discipline. The framework comprises main dimensions, which our analysis revealed to be essential across diverse system types: (1) Collaborative Panorama, (2) Processes and Modalities, and (3) Graphic Design Principles. Its application revealed research gaps, including the need to balance initiative and control between agents, improve communication through explainable interaction models, and promote systems that support transformational creativity grounded in core design principles.
- Europe (1.00)
- North America > United States > California (0.28)
- Research Report (1.00)
- Overview (1.00)
Intelligent Design 4.0: Paradigm Evolution Toward the Agentic AI Era
Jiang, Shuo, Xie, Min, Chen, Frank Youhua, Ma, Jian, Luo, Jianxi
Research and practice in Intelligent Design (ID) have significantly enhanced engineering innovation, efficiency, quality, and productivity over recent decades, fundamentally reshaping how engineering designers think, behave, and interact with design processes. The recent emergence of Foundation Models (FMs), particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), has demonstrated general knowledge-based reasoning capabilities, and open new avenues for further transformation in engineering design. In this context, this paper introduces Intelligent Design 4.0 (ID 4.0) as an emerging paradigm empowered by foundation model-based agentic AI systems. We review the historical evolution of ID across four distinct stages: rule-based expert systems, task-specific machine learning models, large-scale foundation AI models, and the recent emerging paradigm of foundation model-based multi-agent collaboration. We propose an ontological framework for ID 4.0 and discuss its potential to support end-to-end automation of engineering design processes through coordinated, autonomous multi-agent-based systems. Furthermore, we discuss challenges and opportunities of ID 4.0, including perspectives on data foundations, agent collaboration mechanisms, and the formulation of design problems and objectives. In sum, these insights provide a foundation for advancing Intelligent Design toward greater adaptivity, autonomy, and effectiveness in addressing the growing complexity of engineering design.
- Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Representation & Reasoning > Expert Systems (1.00)
- Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Representation & Reasoning > Agents (1.00)
- Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Natural Language > Large Language Model (1.00)
- (2 more...)
To Use or to Refuse? Re-Centering Student Agency with Generative AI in Engineering Design Education
Willems, Thijs, Khan, Sumbul, Huang, Qian, Camburn, Bradley, Sockalingam, Nachamma, Poon, King Wang
This pilot study traces students' reflections on the use of AI in a 13-week foundational design course enrolling over 500 first-year engineering and architecture students at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. The course was an AI-enhanced design course, with several interventions to equip students with AI based design skills. Students were required to reflect on whether the technology was used as a tool (instrumental assistant), a teammate (collaborative partner), or neither (deliberate non-use). By foregrounding this three-way lens, students learned to use AI for innovation rather than just automation and to reflect on agency, ethics, and context rather than on prompt crafting alone. Evidence stems from coursework artefacts: thirteen structured reflection spreadsheets and eight illustrated briefs submitted, combined with notes of teachers and researchers. Qualitative coding of these materials reveals shared practices brought about through the inclusion of Gen-AI, including accelerated prototyping, rapid skill acquisition, iterative prompt refinement, purposeful "switch-offs" during user research, and emergent routines for recognizing hallucinations. Unexpectedly, students not only harnessed Gen-AI for speed but (enabled by the tool-teammate-neither triage) also learned to reject its outputs, invent their own hallucination fire-drills, and divert the reclaimed hours into deeper user research, thereby transforming efficiency into innovation. The implications of the approach we explore shows that: we can transform AI uptake into an assessable design habit; that rewarding selective non-use cultivates hallucination-aware workflows; and, practically, that a coordinated bundle of tool access, reflection, role tagging, and public recognition through competition awards allows AI based innovation in education to scale without compromising accountability.
"She was useful, but a bit too optimistic": Augmenting Design with Interactive Virtual Personas
Deep, Paluck, Bharadhidasan, Monica, Kocaballi, A. Baki
Personas have been widely used to understand and communicate user needs in human-centred design. Despite their utility, they may fail to meet the demands of iterative workflows due to their static nature, limited engagement, and inability to adapt to evolving design needs. Recent advances in large language models (LLMs) pave the way for more engaging and adaptive approaches to user representation. This paper introduces Interactive Virtual Personas (IVPs): multimodal, LLM-driven, conversational user simulations that designers can interview, brainstorm with, and gather feedback from in real time via voice interface. We conducted a qualitative study with eight professional UX designers, employing an IVP named "Alice" across three design activities: user research, ideation, and prototype evaluation. Our findings demonstrate the potential of IVPs to expedite information gathering, inspire design solutions, and provide rapid user-like feedback. However, designers raised concerns about biases, over-optimism, the challenge of ensuring authenticity without real stakeholder input, and the inability of the IVP to fully replicate the nuances of human interaction. Our participants emphasised that IVPs should be viewed as a complement to, not a replacement for, real user engagement. We discuss strategies for prompt engineering, human-in-the-loop integration, and ethical considerations for effective and responsible IVP use in design. Finally, our work contributes to the growing body of research on generative AI in the design process by providing insights into UX designers' experiences of LLM-powered interactive personas.
- Research Report > New Finding (1.00)
- Research Report > Experimental Study (1.00)
- Personal > Interview (1.00)
- Health & Medicine > Consumer Health (0.93)
- Consumer Products & Services > Restaurants (0.92)
- Information Technology (0.67)
- (2 more...)
Developing a Multi-Modal Machine Learning Model For Predicting Performance of Automotive Hood Frames
Indupally, Abhishek, Ramnath, Satchit
Is there a way for a designer to evaluate the performance of a given hood frame geometry without spending significant time on simulation setup? This paper seeks to address this challenge by developing a multimodal machine-learning (MMML) architecture that learns from different modalities of the same data to predict performance metrics. It also aims to use the MMML architecture to enhance the efficiency of engineering design processes by reducing reliance on computationally expensive simulations. The proposed architecture accelerates design exploration, enabling rapid iteration while maintaining high-performance standards, especially in the concept design phase. The study also presents results that show that by combining multiple data modalities, MMML outperforms traditional single-modality approaches. Two new frame geometries, not part of the training dataset, are also used for prediction using the trained MMML model to showcase the ability to generalize to unseen frame models. The findings underscore MMML's potential in supplementing traditional simulation-based workflows, particularly in the conceptual design phase, and highlight its role in bridging the gap between machine learning and real-world engineering applications. This research paves the way for the broader adoption of machine learning techniques in engineering design, with a focus on refining multimodal approaches to optimize structural development and accelerate the design cycle.
- Health & Medicine (1.00)
- Automobiles & Trucks (1.00)
- Transportation > Ground > Road (0.46)
Text-to-Layout: A Generative Workflow for Drafting Architectural Floor Plans Using LLMs
Duggempudi, Jayakrishna, Gao, Lu, Senouci, Ahmed, Han, Zhe, Zhang, Yunpeng
This paper presents the development of an AI-powered workflow that uses Large Language Models (LLMs) to assist in drafting schematic architectural floor plans from natural language prompts. The proposed system interprets textual input to automatically generate layout options including walls, doors, windows, and furniture arrangements. It combines prompt engineering, a furniture placement refinement algorithm, and Python scripting to produce spatially coherent draft plans compatible with design tools such as Autodesk Revit. A case study of a mid-sized residential layout demonstrates the approach's ability to generate functional and structured outputs with minimal manual effort. The workflow is designed for transparent replication, with all key prompt specifications documented to enable independent implementation by other researchers. In addition, the generated models preserve the full range of Revit-native parametric attributes required for direct integration into professional BIM processes.
Generative AI in Training and Coaching: Redefining the Design Process of Learning Materials
Komar, Alexander, Heidelmann, Marc-André, Schaaff, Kristina
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is transforming education, redefining the role of trainers and coaches in learning environments. In our study, we explore how AI integrates into the design process of learning materials, assessing its impact on efficiency, pedagogical quality, and the evolving role of human trainers and coaches. Through qualitative interviews with professionals in education and corporate training, we identify the following key topics: trainers and coaches increasingly act as facilitators and content moderators rather than primary creators, efficiency gains allow for a stronger strategic focus but at the same time the new tools require new skills. Additionally, we analyze how the anthropomorphism of AI shapes user trust and expectations. From these insights, we derive how tools based on GenAI can successfully be implemented for trainers and coaches on an individual, organizational, systemic, and strategic level.
- North America > United States (0.46)
- Europe > Germany (0.46)
- Research Report > New Finding (1.00)
- Instructional Material (1.00)
- Education > Educational Setting > Corporate Training (0.54)
- Education > Educational Setting > Higher Education (0.48)
StoryEnsemble: Enabling Dynamic Exploration & Iteration in the Design Process with AI and Forward-Backward Propagation
Suh, Sangho, Lai, Michael, Pu, Kevin, Dow, Steven P., Grossman, Tovi
Design processes involve exploration, iteration, and movement across interconnected stages such as persona creation, problem framing, solution ideation, and prototyping. However, time and resource constraints often hinder designers from exploring broadly, collecting feedback, and revisiting earlier assumptions-making it difficult to uphold core design principles in practice. To better understand these challenges, we conducted a formative study with 15 participants-comprised of UX practitioners, students, and instructors. Based on the findings, we developed StoryEnsemble, a tool that integrates AI into a node-link interface and leverages forward and backward propagation to support dynamic exploration and iteration across the design process. A user study with 10 participants showed that StoryEnsemble enables rapid, multi-directional iteration and flexible navigation across design stages. This work advances our understanding of how AI can foster more iterative design practices by introducing novel interactions that make exploration and iteration more fluid, accessible, and engaging.
- North America > United States > California (0.46)
- North America > Canada > Ontario > Toronto (0.14)
- Questionnaire & Opinion Survey (1.00)
- Instructional Material > Course Syllabus & Notes (0.92)
- Research Report > Promising Solution (0.67)
- Research Report > Experimental Study (0.67)
- Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Representation & Reasoning (1.00)
- Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Natural Language (1.00)
- Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Machine Learning > Neural Networks (0.94)
- Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Cognitive Science (0.92)
Designing Robots with, not for: A Co-Design Framework for Empowering Interactions in Forensic Psychiatry
Ren, Qiaoqiao, Proesmans, Remko, Pissens, Arend, Dehandschutter, Lara, Denecker, William, Rouckhout, Lotte, Carrette, Joke, Vanhopplinus, Peter, Belpaeme, Tony, wyffels, Francis
Forensic mental health care involves the treatment of individuals with severe mental disorders who have committed violent offences. These settings are often characterized by high levels of bureaucracy, risk avoidance, and restricted autonomy. Patients frequently experience a profound loss of control over their lives, leading to heightened psychological stress-sometimes resulting in isolation as a safety measure. In this study, we explore how co-design can be used to collaboratively develop a companion robot that helps monitor and regulate stress while maintaining tracking of the patients' interaction behaviours for long-term intervention. We conducted four co-design workshops in a forensic psychiatric clinic with patients, caregivers, and therapists. Our process began with the presentation of an initial speculative prototype to therapists, enabling reflection on shared concerns, ethical risks, and desirable features. This was followed by a creative ideation session with patients, a third workshop focused on defining desired functions and emotional responses, and we are planning a final prototype demo to gather direct patient feedback. Our findings emphasize the importance of empowering patients in the design process and adapting proposals based on their current emotional state. The goal was to empower the patient in the design process and ensure each patient's voice was heard.
FloorPlan-DeepSeek (FPDS): A multimodal approach to floorplan generation using vector-based next room prediction
Yin, Jun, Zeng, Pengyu, Zhong, Jing, Li, Peilin, Zhang, Miao, Luo, Ran, Lu, Shuai
In the architectural design process, floor plan generation is inherently progressive and iterative. However, existing generative models for floor plans are predominantly end-to-end generation that produce an entire pixel-based layout in a single pass. This paradigm is often incompatible with the incremental workflows observed in real-world architectural practice. To address this issue, we draw inspiration from the autoregressive 'next token prediction' mechanism commonly used in large language models, and propose a novel 'next room prediction' paradigm tailored to architectural floor plan modeling. Experimental evaluation indicates that FPDS demonstrates competitive performance in comparison to diffusion models and Tell2Design in the text-to-floorplan task, indicating its potential applicability in supporting future intelligent architectural design.