Addressing challenges to problem complexity: Effectiveness of ai assistance during the design process

Binyang Song, Nicolás F. Soria Zurita, Hannah Nolte, Harshika Singh, Jonathan Cagan, Christopher McComb

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistance tools become more ubiquitous in engineering design, it becomes increasingly necessary to understand the influence of AI assistance on the design process and design effectiveness. Previous work has shown the advantages of incorporating AI design agents to assist human designers. However, the influence of AI assistance on the behavior of designers during the design process is still unknown. This study examines the differences in participants' design process and effectiveness with and without AI assistance during a complex drone design task using the HyForm design research platform. Data collected from this study is analyzed to assess the design process and effectiveness using quantitative methods, such as Hidden Markov Models and network analysis. The results indicate that AI assistance is most beneficial when addressing moderately complex objectives but exhibits a reduced advantage in addressing highly complex objectives. During the design process, the individual designers working with AI assistance employ a relatively explorative search strategy, while the individual designers working without AI assistance devote more effort to parameter design.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication33rd International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology (DTM)
PublisherAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ISBN (Electronic)9780791885420
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021
Event33rd International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology, DTM 2021, Held as Part of the ASME 2021 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC-CIE 2021 - Virtual, Online
Duration: 17 Aug 202119 Aug 2021

Publication series

NameProceedings of the ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference
Volume6

Conference

Conference33rd International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology, DTM 2021, Held as Part of the ASME 2021 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC-CIE 2021
CityVirtual, Online
Period17/08/2119/08/21

Keywords

  • Artificial intelligence
  • Design behavior
  • Design exploration
  • Engineering design
  • Problem solving

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