Speculative Design Workshop Insights
Speculative Design Workshop Insights
Speculative Design Workshop Insights
Real-time Drawing and Speech Generative AI Prototype
Real-time Drawing and Speech
Generative AI Prototype
Strengths Worth Keeping
Strengths Worth Keeping
Enjoyment 6.5 + Absorption 5.8
Enjoyment 6.5 + Absorption 5.8
Enjoyment 6.5 + Absorption 5.8
The real-time multimodal concept is engaging, keep drawing+speech as the core interaction.
Users like the experience and “lose themselves” in it.
The real-time multimodal concept is engaging, keep drawing+speech as the core interaction.
Users like the experience and “lose themselves” in it.
The real-time multimodal concept is engaging, keep drawing+speech as the core interaction.
Users like the experience and “lose themselves” in it.
Results-Worth-Effort 6.0
Results-Worth-Effort 6.0
Results-Worth-Effort 6.0
Users feel their output repays the effort spent.
Users feel their output repays the effort spent.
Users feel their output repays the effort spent.
The current level of AI assistance is effective and does not require reducing creative control.
The current level of AI assistance is effective and does not require reducing creative control.
The current level of AI assistance is effective and does not require reducing creative control.
Collaboration 5.7 ± 1.0
Collaboration 5.7 ± 1.0
Collaboration 5.7 ± 1.0
Most users could share or work alongside others.
Most users could share or work alongside others.
Most users could share or work alongside others.
Prototype is viable for collaborative use; preserve interactive flow.
Prototype is viable for collaborative use; preserve interactive flow.
Prototype is viable for collaborative use; preserve interactive flow.
“I love how the AI blends two artistic styles and produces results I couldn’t have imagined.”
“I love how the AI blends two artistic
styles and produces results I couldn’t
have imagined.”
“I love how the AI blends two artistic styles and produces results I couldn’t have imagined.”
Users enjoy the outputs produced by the prototype and find it novel.
Users enjoy the outputs produced by the prototype and find it novel.
Users enjoy the outputs produced by the prototype and find it novel.
Maintain the current generated aesthetics while exploring alternative models.
Maintain the current generated aesthetics while exploring alternative models.
Maintain the current generated aesthetics while exploring alternative models.
“The two prompts worked together smoothly in real time, letting me adjust them on the spot”
“The two prompts worked together
smoothly in real time, letting me adjust
them on the spot”
“The two prompts worked together smoothly in real time, letting me adjust them on the spot”
Users value feeling in charge and ask for sliders, knobs to adjust outcomes.
Users value feeling in charge and ask for sliders, knobs to adjust outcomes.
Users value feeling in charge and ask for sliders, knobs to adjust outcomes.
Continue to to build and keep refining a multimodal interactive, sketch-centred interface.
Continue to to build and keep refining a multimodal interactive, sketch-centred interface.
Continue to to build and keep refining a multimodal interactive, sketch-centred interface.
Gaps to address
Gaps to address
Expressiveness 5.0 ± 1.3
Expressiveness 5.0 ± 1.3
Expressiveness 5.0 ± 1.3
Some users felt stylistically boxed-in.
Users like the experience and “lose themselves” in it.
Some users felt stylistically boxed-in.
Provide additional forms of creative control, such as LoRA presets.
The real-time multimodal concept is engaging, keep drawing+speech as the core interaction.
Provide additional forms of creative control, such as LoRA presets.
Fluency 4.8 ± 1.0
Fluency 4.8 ± 1.0
Fluency 4.8 ± 1.0
Occasional friction breaks creative flow.
Occasional friction breaks creative flow.
Occasional friction breaks creative flow.
Use improved transcription models that support diverse accents for speech-to-text, and add a feature to store prompts.
Use improved transcription models that support diverse accents for speech-to-text, and add a feature to store prompts.
Use improved transcription models that support diverse accents for speech-to-text, and add a feature to store prompts.
Collaboration 5.7 ± 1.0
Collaboration 5.7 ± 1.0
Collaboration 5.7 ± 1.0
Most users could share or work alongside others.
Most users could share or work alongside others.
Most users could share or work alongside others.
Prototype is viable for collaborative use; preserve interactive flow.
Prototype is viable for collaborative use; preserve interactive flow.
Prototype is viable for collaborative use; preserve interactive flow.
Immersion 5.2 ± 1.4
Immersion 5.2 ± 1.4
Immersion 5.2 ± 1.4
Wider standard deviation shows mixed focus levels.
Wider standard deviation shows mixed focus levels.
Wider standard deviation shows mixed focus levels.
Simplify the controls, build the drawing interface directly into TouchDesigner instead of using an iPad for drawing.
Simplify the controls, build the drawing interface directly into TouchDesigner instead of using an iPad for drawing.
Simplify the controls, build the drawing interface directly into TouchDesigner instead of using an iPad for drawing.
“I’d gather visual references instead of relying on memory”
“I’d gather visual references instead of relying on memory”
“I’d gather visual references instead of relying on memory”
Designers want clearer prompts, image/style references, and other guidance tools to direct the system.
Designers want clearer prompts, image/style references, and other guidance tools to direct the system.
Designers want clearer prompts, image/style references, and other guidance tools to direct the system.
Add an AI agent to support prompting, including multimodal input with both images and text.
Add an AI agent to support prompting, including multimodal input with both images and text.
Add an AI agent to support prompting, including multimodal input with both images and text.
“I’d spend extra time refining the design...”
“It didn’t weaken or strengthen the idea...”
“I’d spend extra time refining the design...”
“It didn’t weaken or strengthen the idea...”
“I’d spend extra time refining the design...”
“It didn’t weaken or strengthen the idea...”
Raw outputs inspire, but users miss a follow-up phase to refine details and polish the design.
Raw outputs inspire, but users miss a follow-up phase to refine details and polish the design.
Raw outputs inspire, but users miss a follow-up phase to refine details and polish the design.
Include an upscaling feature that sends saved images or videos to an upscaling model via API.
Include an upscaling feature that sends saved images or videos to an upscaling model via API.
Include an upscaling feature that sends saved images or videos to an upscaling model via API.
Speculative Design Workshop
Speculative Design Workshop
Strengths Worth Keeping
Strengths Worth Keeping
“The flow of alternating between doing and reflecting helped with the pacing of the workshop.”
“The flow of alternating between doing and reflecting helped with the pacing of the workshop.”
“The flow of alternating between doing and reflecting helped with the pacing of the workshop.”
Balancing hands-on activities with group reflection helps keep participants engaged and gives them time to absorb what they've learned before moving forward.
Users like the experience and “lose themselves” in it.
Balancing hands-on activities with group reflection helps keep participants engaged and gives them time to absorb what they've learned before moving forward.
Continue structuring activities in mini‑cycles of doing and reflecting.
The real-time multimodal concept is engaging, keep drawing+speech as the core interaction.
Continue structuring activities in mini‑cycles of doing and reflecting.
“Having tactile tools available was a nice touch.”
“Having tactile tools available
was a nice touch.”
“Having tactile tools available was
a nice touch.”
Tangible materials like post-its and printed cards help turn abstract discussions into concrete actions.
Tangible materials like post-its and printed cards help turn abstract discussions into concrete actions.
Tangible materials like post-its and printed cards help turn abstract discussions into concrete actions.
Continue integrating analogue tools alongside digital prototypes.
Continue integrating analogue tools alongside digital prototypes.
Continue integrating analogue tools alongside digital prototypes.
“I would say when I read through your card game, I thought that it was really helpful to provoke ideas that I wouldn’t have thought of.”
“I would say when I read through your
card game, I thought that it was really
helpful to provoke ideas that I wouldn’t
have thought of.”
“I would say when I read through your
card game, I thought that it was really helpful to provoke ideas that I wouldn’t
have thought of.”
Gamified scenario building makes it easier for participants to engage in speculative thinking and ethical discussions.
Gamified scenario building makes it easier for participants to engage in speculative thinking and ethical discussions.
Gamified scenario building makes it easier for participants to engage in speculative thinking and ethical discussions.
Retain the A.I.D.E. card‑game module for futures exploration.
Retain the A.I.D.E. card‑game module for futures exploration.
Retain the A.I.D.E. card‑game module for futures exploration.
Gaps to address
Gaps to address
“i think everything is okay but it’s just because ai spoils us by narrowing down our options so the workshop ran longer than expected.”
“i think everything is okay but it’s just
because ai spoils us by narrowing down
our options so the workshop ran longer
than expected.”
“i think everything is okay but it’s just because ai spoils us by narrowing down our options so the workshop ran longer than expected.”
Long sessions can cause mental fatigue and make it harder for participants to stay focused.
Users like the experience and “lose themselves” in it.
Long sessions can cause mental fatigue and make it harder for participants to stay focused.
Tighten timing for each activity and build in short breaks.
The real-time multimodal concept is engaging, keep drawing+speech as the core interaction.
Tighten timing for each activity and build in short breaks.
“Setting time aside to play and understand the tool.”
“Setting time aside to play and
understand the tool.”
“Setting time aside to play and
understand the tool.”
Jumping into exercises without enough tool guidance and familiarisation can lead to frustration and slow down learning.
Jumping into exercises without enough tool guidance and familiarisation can lead to frustration and slow down learning.
Jumping into exercises without enough tool guidance and familiarisation can lead to frustration and slow down learning.
Spend a longer segment of the prototype tutorial at the start and allow participants more time to familiarise with it.
Spend a longer segment of the prototype tutorial at the start and allow participants more time to familiarise with it.
Spend a longer segment of the prototype tutorial at the start and allow participants more time to familiarise with it.
“The speech thingy.”
“The speech thingy.”
“The speech thingy.”
Unreliable voice controls disrupt the overall experience and make it hard to fully engage with the intended multimodal interaction and flow.
Unreliable voice controls disrupt the overall experience and make it hard to fully engage with the intended multimodal interaction and flow.
Unreliable voice controls disrupt the overall experience and make it hard to fully engage with the intended multimodal interaction and flow.
Refine speech‑recognition integration; consider a different transcribe model.
Refine speech‑recognition integration; consider a different transcribe model.
Refine speech‑recognition integration; consider a different transcribe model.
“Assigning everyon with a laptop each so there’s more time for experimentation.”
“Assigning everyon with a laptop each so there’s more time for experimentation.”
“Assigning everyon with a laptop each so there’s more time for experimentation.”
With limited devices, participants had to wait their turn, which lowered hands-on engagement and active participation.
With limited devices, participants had to wait their turn, which lowered hands-on engagement and active participation.
With limited devices, participants had to wait their turn, which lowered hands-on engagement and active participation.
Ensure one device per participant.
Ensure one device per participant.
Ensure one device per participant.
Thematic Findings from Speculative Scenarios
Thematic Findings from
Speculative Scenarios
This section presents the main themes from the speculative scenario exercise. Designers used the A.I.D.E. card game to create future stories in words and sketches, then mapped these narratives into the Three Horizons framework by Bill Sharpe. In group discussions, they spotted common ideas about who owns creative work, how humans and AI share tasks, and how AI’s role in design may change. The key patterns and insights below will guide the next version of the prototype and workshop.
This section presents the main themes from the speculative scenario exercise. Designers used the A.I.D.E. card game to create future stories in words and sketches, then mapped these narratives into the Three Horizons framework by Bill Sharpe. In group discussions, they spotted common ideas about who owns creative work, how humans and AI share tasks, and how AI’s role in design may change. The key patterns and insights below will guide the next version of the prototype and workshop.
Participants see authorship shifting, from human authorship today to AI‑driven production, forcing them to rethink what creative agency means.
In the far future, graphic designers see themselves less as hands-on makers and more as facilitators—curating, guiding, and ethically managing AI-driven workflows.
As AI takes on more of the work, the key skill designers need to master is writing effective prompts and setting the right context.
Participants feel both excited about what AI can do and uncertain about their future roles, highlighting the need to support designers in building confidence and adaptability.
Designers want every AI-generated work to clearly state that AI was used in its creation.
There is a strong demand for guidance on responsible AI, with ethics and values being the highest priority.
As AI takes on more design tasks, designers worry about losing the hands-on, playful parts of creating, making their craft feel less enjoyable.
Designers expect creative control to shift from being completely human-driven to a shared process or even guided by AI decisions.
Designers still prefer having more precise control, knowing that even good prompts can't capture all the small details.
Designers still prefer having more precise control, knowing that even
good prompts can't capture all the
small details.
Designers hope for AI that is precise, easy to control, and helpful, enabling deeper creative collaboration and interaction instead of simply automating tasks.
Designers hope for AI that is precise, easy to control, and helpful, enabling deeper creative collaboration and interaction instead of simply
automating tasks.