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.
TEAM DYNAMICS & AI MEDIATION: THE CENTRALITY OF DECISION-MAKING IN DESIGN ENGINEERING HIGHER EDUCATION
Luo, Katherine; Green, Stephen
Type:
Year:
2026
Editor:
Buck, Lyndon; Brisco. Ross; Bohemia, Erik
Author:
Series:
E&PDE
Institution:
Imperial College London, United Kingdom
Page(s):
427 - 432
DOI number:
ISBN:
978-1-912254-24-8
ISSN:
3005-4753
Abstract:
Multidisciplinary collaboration is central to engineering and product design education, where project-based learning requires students to integrate diverse expertise and perspectives. However, early-stage team decision-making is often informal and weakly structured, leading to fragmented knowledge sharing, limited traceability, and uneven participation. From an EDI perspective, such fragmentation can disproportionately affect whose knowledge is surfaced and recognised. This study investigates how an AI boundary tool can support decision-making without undermining student agency. Grounded in a KS–DM Boundary Model derived from initial empirical work, an AI Figma plugin was developed to scaffold discussion processes rather than generate solutions. Findings indicate that the plugin improved decision traceability, temporal structuring, and internal alignment. Adoption challenges are identified, however the study demonstrates that constrained, process-level AI can enhance inclusive collaborative decision-making in DE-HE whilst preserving student authorship and creative responsibility.
Keywords:
