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AI as a new material in UX design: Re-thinking the ideation stage in AI-powered digital product design
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School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
Electronic archive copy is available via Aalto Thesis Database.
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en
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81
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Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an integral part of digital products and playing an increasingly important role in enhancing user experiences (Yang et al., 2018). This trend necessitates a new approach to designing the UX of AI-powered products (Girardin & Lathia, 2017; Yang et al., 2018a; Lew & Schumacher, 2020; Satterfield & Abel, 2020). Previous studies indicate that UX practitioners often struggle to comprehend AI's capabilities and envision new products that effectively utilise these capabilities (Dove et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2016). Existing resources aimed at supporting the design of AI-powered products primarily assist with prototyping and refinement, leaving designers without sufficient support during the ideation and problem-framing phases (Yildirim et al., 2023a).
This thesis examines how AI, as a new design material, influences the ideation stage of UX design. It specifically focuses on the ideation as it is an important stage where designers conceptualise product ideas, experiment, and make necessary mistakes as early as possible, when adjustments are more affordable (Stappers, 2006). The study explores both the challenges designers encounter and the strategies they employ to develop AI-powered mobile and web applications.
Drawing on a literature review and empirical data obtained from in-depth interviews with experienced UX designers, the findings reveal that while established practices such as user-centred design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and domain knowledge remain essential, designers are also adapting and evolving their ideation practices. Key emerging practices include firsthand experimentation with AI, conceptualising open-ended user journeys and adaptive interaction frameworks, ideating with data, anticipating risks upfront, and adopting iterative ideation processes. These changes reflect a broader rethinking of the ideation stage in response to the uncertainty of capability, output complexity, and sociotechnical implications of AI.
This research contributes to the growing discourse on AI in design by clarifying the unique ideation challenges posed by AI technologies, outlining responsive practices, and proposing directions for design guidelines that better support early-stage conceptual work for AI-powered products.