e&pde dreamworlds.

At the 2024 Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE), I presented a paper alongside Emily Brook that explored fresh ground in design education. My paper, "DREAMWORLDS: A CASE STUDY PRESENTING THE POTENTIAL OF TEXT-TO-IMAGE AI IN PRODUCT DESIGN EDUCATION," was born from a five-week project with first-year BA Product Design students. The project unfolded in two parts. In the first phase, groups of three to four students embarked on a creative journey, using text-to-image AI to craft speculative worlds. They wrapped up their exploration with a five-minute video, blending AI-generated visuals with their creative vision to push the boundaries of artistic direction. In the second phase, students shifted gears to design toys for young children, drawing inspiration from their earlier speculative creations while carefully considering practical elements like materials, safety, and cultural sensitivity.

This approach wasn’t just about experimenting with technology for the sake of it. It was a deliberate attempt to integrate innovative AI tools into design education, encouraging students to stretch their creative muscles while tackling both imaginative and pragmatic design challenges. Presenting this case study at E&PDE contributed a real-world example to the ongoing discourse about incorporating AI into creative disciplines. The "Dreamworlds" project has sparked valuable conversations on how generative AI can enhance world-building and product design, proving that blending creative exploration with technological insight can open up exciting new paths in education.