From Answer-First to Decision-First: An Interaction Pattern for Creative Judgment in AI Chat

Generative AI makes creative work faster, but its fluent outputs can encourage premature acceptance, shallow evaluation, and loss of orientation across extended chats. We present ReasonScape, a redesign of the familiar chat user-interface that supports creative judgement during GenAI co-creation. ReasonScape replaces answer-first interaction with a guided workflow that (1) introduces brief reflection checkpoints to surface goals and constraints, (2) triggers sensemaking interventions for recurring evaluation gaps when reasoning shows signs of one-sidedness, inconsistency, or unexamined assumptions, and (3) externalises users' evolving rationale through ReflectRail, a persistent rationale trail with direct navigation. A lightweight status view (ReflectMeter) shows which reflective checks are open without implying correctness. We report findings from two rounds of expert inquiry (n=16) indicating that the approach can keep evaluation lightweight and supportive, while highlighting calibration risks around frequency, tone, and stability. We conclude with design implications for creativity-support tools that balance reflective scaffolding with creative flow.