Examining students’ usage of artificial intelligence for UX projects : insights from an Informatics Service Management course

Abstract

AI is increasingly being adopted in industry, while its use in education has been insufficiently explored. The aim of this study was to investigate how students utilize AI in an undergraduate course centered on solving project tasks in UX design education. The results reveal that the majority of students employed AI to help them complete project assignments (87%). The persona method, characterized by standardized and detailed descriptions, involved the most extensive use of AI (59.7%), followed by the customer journey map (33.9%), the value proposition canvas (29%), and the user story map (22.6%). Students used AI with the intention of completing tasks faster, but their use for creative tasks was limited, as they did not have sufficient knowledge to use it effectively. Overall, students supported the idea of AI use in teaching, but highlighted the need for instructional support from teachers, such as providing clear instructions and guidance on how to utilize AI effectively to produce higher-quality results. Integrating AI into HCI education can help bridge the gap between academic focus and industry demands, thus better preparing students for future job demands.