Uncovering Generative Design Rationale in the Undergraduate Classroom

This work-in-progress, set in the context of an introductory design and graphics course, explores student reasoning when tasked with choosing a “best” option among solutions developed from a CAD-based generative design solution space. Students tend to cite rationalistic reasoning in design decision-making, rather than relying on intuition or on empathy for users. Future work will explore the relationship between traditional undergraduate engineering design task decision-making and generative design decision-making.