15 Co-Creating Intersectional Design Narratives with AI

Ha Nguyen

Abstract

This chapter presents a co-writing activity with generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to help students reflect on intersectional perspectives in UX/UI (User Experience/User Interface) Design. The activity positions GenAI tools as a thought partner to help students question their assumptions and consider the long-term impact of their design.

Keywords: human-centered design, generative artificial intelligence, intersectional design

 

Students in my undergraduate course on Design Perspectives in Instructional Technology are introduced to intersectionality as a framework to reflect on the complex, intersecting identity dimensions (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age) of the users of their UX/UI (User Experience/ User Interface) products. When prompted to think about approaches to intersectional designs, students often focus on the process (e.g., “recruiting diverse user testers”), rather than the broader consequences of their designs. An assignment that I am considering is to invite students to interact with text-based, generative AI tools like ChatGPT, to co-create design narratives that better account for the implications of their designs. For instance, the instructor can pre-specify prompts with intersectional perspectives for the AI tools. These prompts account for users’ contexts and experiences at identity intersections. An example prompt might be:

You are a story co-creator. I will write one sentence, and you will write one sentence to continue the story. Consider the following Inclusive Design principles in the suggestions: Recognize exclusion. Learn from diversity. Solve for one; extend to many. […]
Consider an illustrative case where the student is designing a moderation tool within a video streaming web interface. When using the above prompt and asking ChatGPT to critique the design idea, the tool responds with: “Recognizing the potential for exclusion, the moderation tool creator immersed himself in diverse online communities to understand the challenges people face.” It further highlights how the moderation feature can disproportionately impact certain user demographics. These suggestions may prompt students to critically reflect on their designs. Importantly, the assignment should be coupled with reflection prompts for students to (1) consider how they situate their experiences within the proposed design space, (2) critique any perspectives that they or the AI have missed, and (3) consider how their definitions of design from intersectionality perspectives have evolved. These reflection prompts address the risks that students simply restate the tools’ suggestions instead of purposefully analyzing their designs.

 

Questions to Guide Reflection and Discussion

  • Reflect on the potential risks and benefits of using AI to simulate user experiences from various demographic backgrounds.
  • Explore the ethical considerations of using AI in creating design narratives. What guidelines should be established to ensure respectful and accurate representations?
  • How does the interaction with AI influence students’ ability to critically evaluate and improve their design projects?

About the author

Contributor photo

name: Ha Nguyen

institution: Utah State University

Ha Nguyen is an Assistant Professor in Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences at Utah State University. Her work is focused on designing and researching technologies to promote deeper STEM knowledge, competency, and skills for diverse learners. She has published in leading venues in learning analytics and education, including Computers & Education, British Journal of Educational Technology, and Journal of Learning Analytics. At USU, she teaches courses like Design Perspectives, Games & Learning, and Learning Analytics.

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