Master | Research project Project | Feb ’21 – Jul ’21
RESEARCH PROJECT
Course
Design Research Project
Topic
Mutual understanding on AI
within design teams
Coaching
Minha Lee
Harm van Essen
IN SHORT
“Fostering transparency of AI implementation to create mutual understanding within multidisciplinary design teams.”
Background
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly integrated in user-facing technology, commonly used in products and services these days. The development of such products and services is often done in multidisciplinary teams in different phases. However, current design methods can seem ill-fitted for AI.
Designers cannot easily sketch the numerous ways an AI system might adapt to different users in different contexts. Nor can they easily prototype possible interactions and errors.
Problem
While many recognize the necessity and value to incorporate AI in products and services, the metaphorical ‘black box’ regarding the data processing and algorithms may restrict designers in optimizing or designing for these products and services.
The lack of knowledge about AI is most impactful during the conceptualization and realization phase, where designers feel less confident in making realistic choices and when prototyping.
Contribution
By providing more transparency and low-threshold opportunities for learning their design’s or service’s AI, designers may experience more confidence in designing with and for AI. Next to that, increased transparency and mutual understanding may result in improved communication between stakeholders and different expertises involved in the design process.
