A Study on The Practical Use of Generative Design in the Product Design Process

Background Generative design, which presents various design options by using artificial intelligence (AI) software and the compute power of the cloud, is expected to be a new alternative method of a convergent process that can improve the design competitiveness of businesses and products in the product development stage. However, as an adjunct to CAD software, generative design is only being used as a means of obtaining a simple result and at certain points. Therefore, scientific measures to succeed as a convergent process, which can produce and use various outputs, are required. Methods This study used documentary research and case study methods and carried out in-depth interviews with experts in order to figure out how to make good use of generative design in the product design development process. First, implications of the use of generative design were deduced by considering theories about product design and generative design and by researching actual product development cases, which used generative design and followed general product design process. Second, in-depth interviews with product design experts were conducted. Those interviews dealt with subjects, which are: ways and possibilities of using generative design in the product design process. How generative design can be used in each stage of the product design process was then studied by using comparative analysis. Results According to the findings, it seems that generative design is more than just an umbrella encompassing topology and shape optimization and can inspire designers to study models creatively by being used deliberately in every stage of the product design process. Generative design can be used not only to create the structure and shape, which match variables and options as usual, but also to create various models by setting variables and options as designers intend. Furthermore, such models can be applied to design. Conclusions With the establishment of the product design process using generative design, it can be expected that designers will be able to use outputs created using generative design to improve the structure of the product and to ideate and search for creative models depending on their circumstances and goals. Also, the product design processes using generative design are expected to be used as new convergent/composite processes.