Conference Agenda

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being applied to design at an unprecedented rate, and is often touted as a solution to all problems. Indeed, generative AI has proven capable of producing compelling text, images, storyboards, advertising, websites, and videos. Its capabilities are increasing rapidly. Despite the sophistication of these tools, it isn’t directly clear how to effectively adopt this technology into university curricula and apply it to creative processes within design systems, including product-service systems. Designers and design educators are left trying to determine where AI fits into curricula and the overall design process.

The aim of this workshop is to gain a deeper understanding of how design educators currently address issues and strategies for implementing AI within their departments, as well as how they effectively apply AI to specific design processes and domains. By discussing and examining where artificial intelligence can be effectively applied in the design process, where it isn’t yet as applicable, and how to position its adoption within a department, college, or University, design educators can develop policies and curricula to prepare their students to leverage AI.

The workshop is divided into two parts. The first part will consist of a group discussion and data-gathering phase on the adoption of AI in education. The second part will be a product-service development cycle framed by an updated double diamond and supported by AI tools. The two parts will be followed by a short discussion. The workshop's outcomes will focus on helping participants understand where and how to effectively apply AI within product-service design processes, as well as how to utilize AI in designing education curricula. Two hours and 55 minutes will be sufficient time for these activities, discussions, and PSS-focused AI learning experiences.

This session is expected to have ~30 participants. Due to the participatory nature of this workshop, limiting the number of participants to approximately 30 will facilitate data gathering sessions, as well as making and discussing sessions. This workshop is designed for instructors from all design and engineering disciplines, including those who have never incorporated AI into their classes.

Because AI is a rapidly emerging and popular technology that is challenging to keep up with, we would enjoy establishing research collaborations with other educators. The data gathering portion of the workshop can inform participants about AI adoption issues and successes, while the workshop activities will highlight opportunities to utilize AI in design processes themselves. Ideally, participants will walk away with an understanding of where to apply AI in their product-service design curricula and knowledge on AI tools to use. We expect an AI research paper and ongoing workshops to emerge.