Deconstructing the Designer-genAI Interaction in the Design Process: A Framework for Surfacing Micro-Dynamics and Agency

This paper presents the Imagery Modes framework for analysing the designer–genAI interaction, complementing established metaphor-based accounts. Developed through Constructivist Grounded Theory and structured using Activity Theory, the framework focuses on the micro-dynamics of a single input–output exchange. It identifies four sequential sub-actions—crafting, processing, generating, and evaluating—that trace the relations between subjects (designer, genAI) and instruments (input, output). Central to the framework is the concept of “output imagery”, defined as the clarity with which the designer envisions the expected output prior to the interaction. Three modes of interaction are identified: Before, During, and After Imagery. The findings highlight the fluid and non-linear character of the designer-genAI interaction, showing how designers shift between modes across sequences. Finally, the framework clarifies the interplay between agency and sense of agency, showing that while agency varies linearly, sense of agency depends on alignment between expectations and outputs within each mode.