Structured Creative Prompts Study

This study explores how design students use and experience a set of structured creative prompt cards designed to support sense-making, idea development, critical thinking and decision-making during the design process.

The study is interested in which prompts students choose to use, how useful and clear they find them, and whether the prompts influence how they think about or respond to a design problem.

The study will also explore the use of the cards alongside generative AI where relevant. You do not need to use generative AI to take part.

You may take part if you are:

• 18 years or older, and
• currently studying design or participating in design-related study.

If you choose to participate, you will be asked to:

1. Use one or more cards from the online design prompt-card resource.
2. Complete a short anonymous online survey about your experience.

The survey will ask about:

• which cards or sections you used
• what you were working on
• whether the cards helped you move forward, consider alternatives or make decisions
• how clear and useful you found the resource
• whether you used the visual or sketchnote activities and whether they helped you work through your thinking
• your experience of using the cards alongside generative AI, if relevant

The survey will take approximately 2-10 minutes, depending on how much you choose to share.

No.

Participation is completely voluntary.

Taking part, choosing not to take part, or deciding not to complete the survey will have no effect on your:

• grades
• assessment
• feedback
• course participation
• relationship with teaching staff or Griffith University.

You do not need to tell the researcher whether you participated.

Yes.

You may stop the survey at any time before submitting your responses.

Because the survey is anonymous, once you submit your responses it may not be possible to identify and remove your individual data.

This study is considered low risk.

Some questions may ask you to reflect on your design process or use of generative AI. You may skip any optional question you do not wish to answer.

There is no requirement to share assessed work, personal information or identifiable project material.

There may be no direct benefit to you from participating.

Your responses may help improve the prompt-card resource and contribute to research about design education, creative thinking and decision-making.

AI may be used by the research team as a writing and planning support tool when developing research materials and preparing research outputs. All AI-assisted content will be reviewed and edited by the research team.

Participant survey responses and other research data will not be entered into generative AI systems under the current study protocol.

The survey is anonymous.

You will not be asked to provide your name, student number or other directly identifying information.

Please do not include names, specific course details, project titles or other information in open-text responses that could identify you or another person.

If potentially identifying information is inadvertently provided, it will be removed or generalised by the research team before analysis, reporting or quotation.

Research data will be collected using a Griffith University-approved survey platform and stored in accordance with Griffith University research data management requirements.

Only the research team will have access to the research data.

Anonymous and aggregated findings may be used in:

• conference presentations
• peer-reviewed publications
• research reports
• future development of the design prompt-card resource

Individual participants will not be identified in any publication or presentation.

Anonymous quotations from open-text survey responses may be used in research outputs.

A plain-language summary of the study findings will be made available following completion of the research on this research webpage.

Research data will be securely stored in accordance with Griffith University requirements and retained for five years from the date of the final publication arising from the research, after which the data will be securely destroyed.

For questions about the study:

Dr Libbi Reed
Queensland College of Art and Design
Griffith University
l.reed@griffith.edu.au

For concerns or complaints about the ethical conduct of the research:

Griffith University Human Research Ethics Committee
Senior Manager, Research Ethics Integrity and Governance
(07) 3735 4375
research-ethics@griffith.edu.au