CONFERENCES
E&PDE 2026 - 28th International Conference on Engineering & Product Design Education
The Conference will bring together representatives from education and industry interested in sharing new perspectives on design education.
Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
UNDERSTANDING GENAI USE IN STUDENT ENGINEERING DESIGN WORK: INSIGHTS FROM A PILOT INTERVIEW STUDY
Kamjoo, Shima; Rennick, Chris; Nelson, Nancy; Hurst, Ada
Type:
Year:
2026
Editor:
Buck, Lyndon; Brisco. Ross; Bohemia, Erik
Author:
Series:
E&PDE
Institution:
University of Waterloo, Canada
Page(s):
256 - 261
DOI number:
ISBN:
978-1-912254-24-8
ISSN:
3005-4753
Abstract:
Generative AI (GenAI) tools are increasingly capable contributors to design work, though human judgement in design ideation and decision-making remains essential. Design learners’ use of GenAI tools is shaped by characteristics of the design task, their own skills and attitudes, and the broader learning context. Student-AI interactions unfold within a complex “jagged frontier” - a boundary where AI excels in some areas but may degrade design process and outcomes in others. For design educators, helping students navigate this frontier through guided, hands-on experience is an emerging pedagogical challenge. This pilot study investigated how three undergraduate engineering students used GenAI in the early stages of design, and its perceived benefits and limitations. Using an adaptation of the echo interview method, each student was interviewed twice – following individual and group projects respectively - during a third-year engineering “pre-capstone” design course that explicitly integrated instruction on effective GenAI use. Students used GenAI primarily for problem research, ideation, and writing support, citing efficiency as the key benefit. They developed verification practices and prompting strategies largely through peer learning and individual experimentation rather than formal instruction, this over-reliance on peer networks may not benefit all students equally. A perceived negative impact on creative exploration also emerged, with students tending to settle for “good enough” AI outputs under time pressure. Findings offer preliminary recommendations for design educations seeking to integrate GenAI in ways that foster effective, critical, and inclusive design practice.
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