Inspiration or indication? Evaluating the qualities of design inspiration boards created using text to image generative AI

Abstract

This study explores the application of image generative AI to support design process by creating inspiration boards. Through an evaluative study, we compare the diversity, quantity, fidelity, and ambiguity of boards generated by image generative AI and traditional methods. The results highlight how generative AI produces a quantity of images, it exhibits limited diversity compared to traditional methods. This suggests a tendency for supporting interpolation rather than extrapolation of ideas, in turn providing insights on best practice and into the optimal stage for its application.