Purpose of the Research:
The increasing availability of generative AI (GenAI) tools has transformed digital work, allowing people with little to no formal training to create websites, graphics, and other digital content with minimal effort. This democratization of design has made creative work easier for everybody to do, but it also raises important questions about how novice digital creatives interact with these tools. While research has explored the technical capabilities of GenAI, little is known about how non-professional designers incorporate these tools into their workflows and whether they consider best practices for making their work accessible to people with disabilities.

Explanation of Procedures:
Today, you will be asked to complete a short online survey that will ask you about the type of digital work you do and your experiences with using generative AI as part of this creative process. All questions will be optional.

Who can take part in the study?
You must be 18 years or older and identify as a novice digital creative to take part in this study. We are defining novice digital creatives as people who create digital content without formal training and in a non-professional context such as a hobby or pastime and non-paid tasks (e.g., creating digital artwork, creating promotional materials for social clubs, designing a personal website, generating media for group chats with friends, etc.).

What are the possible benefits of taking part?
Your involvement will help us understand ways in which we can improve generative AI tools. You will have the opportunity to be entered into a prize draw. We will select 1 individual out of a maximum of 500 participants to get a $25 cash prize.

How long will the questionnaire/online survey take to complete?
The survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?
We don’t anticipate any risks to you but there may be some we have not anticipated. All questions are optional.

Use of my information
We will use your data on the basis that it is necessary for the conduct of research, which is an activity in the public interest. The data and results of the study may be used in future publications and, in the event of publication, may also be incorporated as open access into databases alongside the paper (e.g., stored on the ACM digital library https://dl.acm.org).

Withdrawal from the Project:
Your participation in this research project is completely voluntary. You may decide to stop participating in this project at any time without penalty by closing the survey.

Whom to Contact with Questions:
The RIT Institutional Review Board has reviewed this project. If you have any concerns or questions about the conduct of this research project or about your rights as a research participant, you may contact:

Heather Foti, Associate Director, Office of Human Subjects Research
Phone Number: 585-475-7673, Email: hmfsrs@rit.edu

You may also contact the researcher:

Dr. Garreth Tigwell, Assistant Professor
School of Information, Rochester Institute of Technology
Departmental Phone Number: +1 585-475-6451, Email: garreth.w.tigwell@rit.edu