Reasoning Connections in Project Development - The Contribution of Prompt Design in the Assessment of Visual Mapping

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of AI-generated prompts on re- flexivity in visual exploratory mapping for project solution identification and refinement within design education. Modern design necessitates a strong user focus to achieve successful innovation, addressing the complexity of diverse user groups and shifting market needs. The research proposes a novel physical visual mapping methodology that extends existing literature to enhance AI in- terpretation capabilities through visual reasoning processes.The study, conduc- ted with Portuguese design students, utilized the Persona Method Through Vi- sual Clues (PMVC) and its augmented version, PMVC+, which incorporates so - cioeconomic scenarios. Students developed personas and connected them to contemporary news sources, subsequently using AI to refine identified thematic codes. This pedagogical approach, which combines physical visual mapping with AI-driven prompt design, has significantly contributed to advancing stu- dents' argumentative skills and fostering autonomous learning by refining their communicative precision and analytical rigor. The integration of AI reframed problem definition in design education, enabling students to systematically analyze problem spaces, identify critical issues, and correlate problem definiti- on with creativity. The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) framework un- derpinned the progression from basic persona creation to integrating complex socioeconomic factors, leading to innovative and context-aware design soluti- ons. While acknowledging limitations such as temporal constraints and partici- pant homogeneity, this research demonstrates the efficacy of AI integration in fostering enhanced reflexivity and problem-definition competence in design le- arning.