Abstract
The need for integration of computer-aided design and computer-aided engineering environments stems from the business priority to reduce product cycle times. It is exacerbated by the coexistence of two different paradigms: a topological one in embodiment design and a functional one in simulation. This dualism places increasing demands on human communication between design and simulation engineers. This paper claims that reflecting communication is a key factor for successful collaboration. Reflection is used in both senses of the Latin word ‘reflectare’: to trigger active thinking about and consideration of communication, as well as to mirror perceptions of a given situation by people collaborating. The paper reports on the development and application of a maturity-grid approach to diagnose the current and desired states of communication between design engineers and simulation engineers in the car body development of a German automotive manufacturer. Results include three themes: one, the importance of understanding of the collaborators’ information needs; two, the importance of orientation, e.g., indicated by the engineers’ overview of sequence of tasks in the design process; and three, the importance of reflection.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 265-287 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Journal of Engineering Design |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 13 May 2009 |
Keywords
- product development
- design process improvement
- design management
- communication assessment method
- collaborative design
- industrial case study
- automotive engineering
- computer-aided design–computer-aided engineering integration