Abstract
As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms professional design practice, academic programs face the challenge of preparing students for AI-augmented creative work while maintaining foundational skills and values. This case study examines a faculty-led initiative within the College of Design at a US University, where a sprint-style working group was formed to develop recommendations for integrating AI into design curricula. From January to May 2025, seven faculty representatives from distinct design disciplines collaborated through monthly meetings, program-specific consultations, and thematic analysis to identify opportunities, risks, and cross-cutting needs related to AI in design education. Using a qualitative, participatory approach grounded in socio-technical systems theory, communities of practice, and diffusion of innovations, the group documented current practices, gathered stakeholder input, and proposed curricular frameworks. Key findings highlight uneven AI integration across programs, the need for ethical and pedagogical guidance, and the value of faculty release time and collaborative structures. The sprint model enabled focused exploration, cross-disciplinary dialogue, and a shared vision for the responsible adoption of AI. This case contributes a scalable model for curriculum co-design in response to emerging technologies. It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, shared values, and infra structural support for fostering institutional innovation. The lessons learned offer guidance for other design programs navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in education.
Keywords
Design Education; Artificial Intelligence; Curriculum Development; Interdisciplinary
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.1215
Citation
Torres, V.L., Tellez, F.A., Tian, Y., Oronsaye, I., Prabhu, N.D., Maraffi, T.,and Calkins, M.(2025) Integrating AI in Design Education: Lessons from a Cross-Disciplinary Curriculum Sprint, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.1215
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 12 - Design Education
Integrating AI in Design Education: Lessons from a Cross-Disciplinary Curriculum Sprint
As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms professional design practice, academic programs face the challenge of preparing students for AI-augmented creative work while maintaining foundational skills and values. This case study examines a faculty-led initiative within the College of Design at a US University, where a sprint-style working group was formed to develop recommendations for integrating AI into design curricula. From January to May 2025, seven faculty representatives from distinct design disciplines collaborated through monthly meetings, program-specific consultations, and thematic analysis to identify opportunities, risks, and cross-cutting needs related to AI in design education. Using a qualitative, participatory approach grounded in socio-technical systems theory, communities of practice, and diffusion of innovations, the group documented current practices, gathered stakeholder input, and proposed curricular frameworks. Key findings highlight uneven AI integration across programs, the need for ethical and pedagogical guidance, and the value of faculty release time and collaborative structures. The sprint model enabled focused exploration, cross-disciplinary dialogue, and a shared vision for the responsible adoption of AI. This case contributes a scalable model for curriculum co-design in response to emerging technologies. It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, shared values, and infra structural support for fostering institutional innovation. The lessons learned offer guidance for other design programs navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in education.