Special Topics: The AI Augmented Designer
Course Information
Course Number
HCI Undergraduate:
05-499 A
HCI Graduate:
05-899 A
Course Description
This course will explore how designers can augment and accelerate their work with the use of AI. The course will involve explorations of AI use across the design process. Students will design and develop multiple prototypes on their own. They will then critically reflect on their process and their use of tools to develop an understanding of when and where AI can best support their work. The course will involve numerous readings and discussions on scholarly thought regarding the symbiosis of designers and AI. This course is intended for students with strong design fundamentals looking to take the next step in their work. It will involve intensive design sprints that will push students to elevate their work and explore through numerous cycles of rapid iteration. The course will introduce students to off-the-shelf tools as well and skills for building your own augmentation tools using generally available AI systems.
The course will introduce students to:
- Synthetic humans for user research
- Automated user research tools
- AI for qualitative data analysis
- Generative AI for ideation
- Generative AI for critique and assessment
- Generative AI for coding
- AI for testing and evaluation
Prerequisites
05-360, 05-391, 05-410 (equivalents considered, permitted to be co-enrolled)
Semester Offered and Units
Semester:
Fall 2025
Undergraduate:
12
units
Graduate:
12
units
Skills
- Moderate user research skills
- Moderate skill in human-centered design processes
- Basic knowledge of visual design
- Basic knowledge of programming for user interface design