Publication
Proceedings of the 2026 Designing Interactive Systems Conference
Aeneas Stankowski; Daniel James Hommel Varab; Morgan Frances Clarke; Philipp Gschwendtner; Eleftherios Avramidis (Hrsg.)
ACM Designing Interactive Systems (DIS-2026), June 13-17, Singapore, Singapore, ISBN 979-8-4007-2563-0, ACM, New York, NY, USA, 2026.
Abstract
Generative AI systems optimized for efficient artifact production can inadvertently bypass the cognitive labor that gives knowledge work its value. Through a Research through Design study in corporate goal-setting—a reflective practice increasingly hollowed by bureaucratic pressures—we propose and evaluate a design principle: cognitive outcomes first, material artifacts second. We operationalize this through a prototype using cognitive scaffolds that require users to articulate contextual nuances, constraints, and strategic realities before generating artifacts. Evaluation with 16 employees revealed that 75% recognized persistent questioning as productive rigor yielding “cognitive delta” (new insight). A five-month follow-up confirmed durability of cognitive outcomes beyond the study context. We contribute: (1) Cognitive outcomes first, a principle establishing cognitive labor as the primary product and artifacts as proof of work; (2) Instrumental drift, an analytic lens revealing how efficiency-optimized AI decouples instruments from purposes; and (3) empirical demonstration that persistent inquiry succeeds when designed for cognitive engagement, with users recognizing epistemic value despite interaction costs.