Evaluating design automation from user input to production – insights from the bike connector tool

Design automation (DA) frameworks are often too specialized to be broadly evaluated. This paper proposes the use of deliberately simple, accessible implementations to facilitate the collection of user feedback. The evaluation of a DA framework is demonstrated through the Bike Connector Tool, which automates the design of personalized bicycle accessory connectors. A case study yields valuable insights, including the need for spatial guidance, manual intervention and expanded design options. The results indicate that simple demonstrators can effectively support the evaluation of DA approaches.