Research
The DUCK Lab's research focuses on design cognition, or the study of how designers think and make decisions. By building our understanding of factors influencing design decision-making, our goal is to promote novel and high-quality design practices, and to develop interventions that increase the likelihood of successful design outcomes.
To achieve this goal, our work leverages a variety of multidisciplinary, mixed-methods research approaches, drawing upon methodology from engineering design, human-computer interaction, social sciences, and engineering education.Â
Humanitarian Engineering
Our research in the field of humanitarian engineering focuses on measuring and building empathy between the designers and end-users in design for global development scenarios. We aim to address the implicit cognitive biases that can lead designers to fail to consider the needs of users, especially when those needs are different from their own. Currently, we are developing virtual reality (VR) interventions to assist designers in perspective-taking.
Interfacing with Technology in Design
We are currently interested in the opportunities and limitations afforded by new technologies such as generative artificial intelligence. How does the use of these technologies impact designers' creative processes? Do designers view generative AI as just another tool to use, or as a collaborative "member" of their design team? Our aim is to make recommendations regarding when and how in the design process AI tools should be integrated.