Drawing Beyond the Prompt.

Drawing Beyond the Prompt.

Real-time AI co-creation in design.

Real-time AI co-creation in design.

Explore the Research ↓

About the Research

About the Research

About the Research

Drawing Beyond the Prompt is a design-led research project that explores how generative AI can better support designers—not by replacing them, but by adapting to how they think and work. Instead of typing static prompts, designers can draw freely while speaking their ideas. A speech-to-text model transcribes their voice into prompt text, allowing for seamless, real-time interaction without breaking creative flow.

Drawing Beyond the Prompt is a design-led research project that explores how generative AI can better support designers—not by replacing them, but by adapting to how they think and work. Instead of typing static prompts, designers can draw freely while speaking their ideas. A speech-to-text model transcribes their voice into prompt text, allowing for seamless, real-time interaction without breaking creative flow.

This research focuses on designing with the human at the centre—supporting intuition, authorship, and spontaneity in the creative process. By developing functional prototypes and testing them in workshops with design students and professionals, the project examines how sketch-and-speak interaction changes the way designers engage with AI. The goal is to create tools that feel less like machines waiting for instructions, and more like creative partners that respond naturally to human input.

Drawing Beyond the Prompt is a design-led research project that explores how generative AI can better support designers—not by replacing them, but by adapting to how they think and work. Instead of typing static prompts, designers can draw freely while speaking their ideas. A speech-to-text model transcribes their voice into prompt text, allowing for seamless, real-time interaction without breaking creative flow.

This research focuses on designing with the human at the centre—supporting intuition, authorship, and spontaneity in the creative process. By developing functional prototypes and testing them in workshops with design students and professionals, the project examines how sketch-and-speak interaction changes the way designers engage with AI. The goal is to create tools that feel less like machines waiting for instructions, and more like creative partners that respond naturally to human input.

Why it matters

Why it matters

Why it matters

Generative AI tools are becoming more common in design work, and user-friendly platforms now let anyone create visuals. But for professional designers, these tools often feel limiting. They interrupt the creative process, rely heavily on typing long prompts, and rarely support live iteration. Designers who try them often face four key challenges:

Generative AI tools are becoming more common in design work, and user-friendly platforms now let anyone create visuals. But for professional designers, these tools often feel limiting. They interrupt the creative process, rely heavily on typing long prompts, and rarely support live iteration. Designers who try them often face four key challenges:

Prompts misalign
with creative intent

Prompts misalign
with creative intent

Prompts misalign
with creative intent

Slow output breaks
creative flow

Slow output breaks
creative flow

Slow output breaks
creative flow

Limited support
for personal style

Limited support
for personal style

Limited support
for personal style

Interfaces do not match
design workflows

Interfaces do not match
design workflows

Interfaces do not match
design workflows

Research Kick-off

Aug 2024

Literature Review

Aug 2024

Prototyping

Jan 2025

Workshops

July 2025

Synthesis/Presentation

Aug 2025

Workshop Outcomes

Workshop Outcomes

A selection of outputs created by participants during the workshop.

A selection of outputs created by participants during the workshop.

Key Insights

Key Insights

Selected participant reflections

Selected participant reflections

“I love how the AI blends two artistic styles and produces results I couldn’t have imagined.”

C

Graphic Designer

“The two prompts worked together smoothly in real time, letting me adjust them on the spot”

ML

Creative Director

“Everything was very engaging and educational, this workshop allowed us to share our thoughts and discussions i learnt a lot from this”

MS

Graphic Design Student

LASALLE Arts

Site by Darrick Ma

Licensed CC BY-NC-SA

© 2025

Links

Instagram

Resources

LASALLE Arts

Site by Darrick Ma

Licensed CC BY-NC-SA

© 2025

Links

Instagram

Resources

LASALLE Arts

Site by Darrick Ma

Licensed CC BY-NC-SA

© 2025

Links

Instagram

Resources