A Study on the Formation of Visual Judgment Criteria in Digital Content Production

The digital content production environment is rapidly changing with the expansion of generative AI technologies.However, even when the same tools are used, noticeable differences in the quality of outcomes remain.This suggests that content quality is determined not only by technical proficiency but also by the visual judgment criteria possessed by the creator.This study examines the process through which visual judgment criteria are formed in digital content production and reinterprets the educational significance of reference exploration and case analysis, which have long been emphasized in design education.To this end, the relationships among visual literacy, design judgment, and visual judgment criteria are explored, and a seven-stage cyclical model consisting of exposure, comparison, analysis, imitation, experimentation, revision, and internalization is proposed.The findings indicate that reference exploration functions not merely as a process of collecting materials but as a core learning activity through which learners compare, analyze, and internalize judgment criteria.Furthermore, visual judgment is understood not as an innate sense but as a professional competency developed through repeated observation, experimentation, and revision.These findings suggest that design education in the age of generative AI should move beyond a