Traditional vs. generative design: How design tools impact cad artifact quality and student perception of design concepts

This paper explores the impact of generative-AI design tools on engineering students’ design artifacts during computer-aided design (CAD) tasks and their perceptions of design concepts within those tasks with the objective to better inform the development of curriculum surrounding generative design (GD). Our research explored the following questions: (1) To what extent does engaging in generative design produce a different quality artifact as compared to traditional design? (2) How do students’ perceptions of design concepts change between traditional and generative design tasks? This study utilized a mixed methods approach to compare students’ (n=20) CAD artifact quality between two distinct design tasks; one completed with traditional parametric modeling and the other with generative design tools. In addition to the CAD artifacts created during the workshop, data sources included a Conceptions of Design Test (CDT) that was issued before and after participation and open-ended survey questions about their experience in the workshop. Findings indicate that students produced a statistically significant higher quality design artifact using generative design as compared to artifacts created using traditional parametric methods. Results from the CDT show that students’ perception of the difference between traditional and generative design tasks changed significantly after participating in the workshop.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Systems & Entrepreneurial Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Hall, Aidan J.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Goldstein, Molly H

• Engineering Design
• Generative Design
• Cad Artifact Evaluation
• Design Cognition

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2024 Aidan Hall

Language dc:language

eng, en

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127414

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F127414