Understanding Designers’ Experiences with Generative AI Through User Interaction Pattern Analysis

This study examines how designers’ experiences with text-to-image GenAI relate to their interaction patterns during a design hackathon. Survey data and two contrasting cases show that positive experiences align with shifting prompts and broader command use as designers move from exploration to refinement, while negative experiences correlate with fixed prompting and limited variations. The study demonstrates how interaction data can inform adaptive GenAI support across design phases, offering opportunities to enhance both practice and tool development.

keywords: artificial intelligence (AI); visualisation; design creativity; prompt analysis; product design

• with: Charlie Ranscombe (lead), Nadia Anam, James Gopsill
• year: November 2025 — May 2026
• for: Proceedings of the Design Society
• download: Article