Effects of Human-AI Collaboration in the Ideation Stage of the Design Process
Manuel Osvaldo Lebron Flores · 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be used for design inspiration, yet they may also cause design fixation, where previously-seen solutions prevent new ideas. The goal of this thesis was to understand how AI-generated inspiration affects the ideation stage of the design process. Participants created website sketches using inspiration from AI or search engine samples they generated, or with no inspiration. Design performance, eye tracking, and trust measures were collected, as well as interview data. Results showed that AI increased design fixation as compared to a search engine, even though participants spent the same amount of time looking at the inspiration and they generated fewer AI samples. Both sources of inspiration were used most at the start of ideation, and the interview data provided more insight into how and why people use AI in design. This thesis contributes to the human-AI collaboration literature and discusses the role of AI in design.