Beyond Automation: How UI/UX Designers Perceive AI as a Creative Partner in the Divergent Thinking Stages

TL;DR

This study explores how UI/UX designers perceive AI as a collaborative partner in divergent thinking stages, highlighting its roles in research, ideation, and prototyping to foster innovation.

Contribution

It provides new insights into AI's supportive roles in creative activities of UI/UX designers, focusing on divergent thinking rather than automation.

Findings

AI tools enhance collaboration and efficiency in design processes.

Designers value AI for controlling ideation and generating alternatives.

AI supports research, creativity, and prototype exploration in UI/UX design.

Abstract

Divergent thinking activities, like research and ideation, are key drivers of innovation in UI/UX design. Existing research has explored AI's role in automating design tasks, but leaves a critical gap in understanding how AI specifically influences divergent thinking. To address this, we conducted interviews with 19 professional UI/UX designers, examining their use and perception of AI in these creative activities. We found that in this context, participants valued AI tools that offer greater control over ideation, facilitate collaboration, enhance efficiency to liberate creativity, and align with their visual habits. Our results indicated four key roles AI plays in supporting divergent thinking: aiding research, kick-starting creativity, generating design alternatives, and facilitating prototype exploration. Through this study, we provide insights into the evolving role of AI in the less-investigated area of divergent thinking in UI/UX design, offering recommendations for future AI tools that better support design innovation.