DesignerlyLoop: Bridging the Cognitive Gap through Visual Node-Based Reasoning in Human-AI Collaborative Design

Large language models (LLMs) offer powerful support for design tasks, yet their goal-oriented, single-turn responses often misalign with the nonlinear, exploratory nature of design processes. This mismatch creates a cognitive gap, limiting designers' ability to articulate evolving intentions, critically evaluate outputs, and maintain creative agency. To address these challenges, we developed DesignerlyLoop, a visual node-based system that embeds LLM reasoning chains into the design workflow. The system enables designers to externalize and curate reasoning structures, iteratively organize intentions, and interact with LLMs as dynamic cognitive engines rather than static answer providers. We conducted a within-subject study with 20 designers, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, and found that DesignerlyLoop enhanced creative reflection, design quality, and interaction experience by supporting systematic engagement with both human and machine reasoning. These findings highlight the potential of structured, interactive visualization to transform human-AI co-creation into a reflective and iterative design process.