INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
METHODOLOGY
THE DESIGNS
THE DESIGNERS
CODING SCHEME
OBSERVATIONS
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The use of computer technology in design practice is moving towards a
distributed resource available to a team of designers. The development
of software to support designers has traditionally been based on the
assumption that there will be a single person using the software at a
time. Recent developments have enabled the feasibility of software for
two or more simultaneous users, leading to the possibility of
computer mediated
collaborative design (CMCD), where the computer plays the role of
mediator and design information handler. There is the potential for
the computer to play a more active role in collaborative design
through enhanced visibility of 3D models and assistance in generating
alternative designs and design
critiques. With this potential the computer not only mediates the
collaborative design process but actively supports the designers.
Research in integrated CAD,
multimedia and design database systems, virtual
design studios, and design
protocol studies provide the basis for a formal study of CMCD.
We have developed an experimental methodology
to study the difference in design semantics
documented using computer applications when designing alone as
compared to designing collaboratively. This methodology can be applied
to study other aspects of CMCD.
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