# Expanding the Generative AI Design Space through Structured Prompting and Multimodal Interfaces

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.14320 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.14320/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 3 of its 16 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 19 Apr 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Bridging the Gulf of Envisioning: Cognitive Design Challenges in LLM Interfaces](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.14459/) (2023)
- [Context-Aware Target Apps Selection and Recommendation for Enhancing Personal Mobile Assistants](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.03394/) (2021)
- [PromptCrafter: Crafting Text-to-Image Prompt through Mixed-Initiative Dialogue with LLM](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.08985/) (2023)

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Bridging Gulfs in UI Generation through Semantic Guidance](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.19171/) (2026)
- [Learning from AVA: Early Lessons from a Curated and Trustworthy Generative AI for Policy and Development Research](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.17843/) (2026)
- ["I Just Need GPT to Refine My Prompts": Rethinking Onboarding and Help-Seeking with Generative 3D Modeling Tools](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.29118/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Text-based prompting remains the predominant interaction paradigm in generative AI, yet it often introduces friction for novice users such as small business owners (SBOs), who struggle to articulate creative goals in domain-specific contexts like advertising. Through a formative study with six SBOs in the United Kingdom, we identify three key challenges: difficulties in expressing brand intuition through prompts, limited opportunities for fine-grained adjustment and refinement during and after content generation, and the frequent production of generic content that lacks brand specificity. In response, we present ACAI (AI Co-Creation for Advertising and Inspiration), a multimodal generative AI tool designed to support novice designers by moving beyond traditional prompt interfaces. ACAI features a structured input system composed of three panels: Branding, Audience and Goals, and the Inspiration Board. These inputs allow users to convey brand-relevant context and visual preferences. This work contributes to HCI research on generative systems by showing how structured interfaces can foreground user-defined context, improve alignment, and enhance co-creative control in novice creative workflows.