A number of designers of different nationality and design backgrounds were interviewed about their experiences working in teams made up mostly of designers of either a Sino or occidental background. The aim was to identify key issues that are at play with the management of multinational design teams and how they can best be managed for greater success. Key findings included evidence that background (cultural, national and economic) can affect how a designer approached problems and works. This is especially so with regards to framing and goal analysis. This in turn can affect how successful a designer can be when they are working in a team with designers from another background, who operate differently. Designers with a low level attitude toward design and a lower level of emotional intelligence tend to be less able to work in such teams. However, the chance of success can be increased with the introduction of information technology tools to increase shared cognition and situational awareness. Further, through the use of constraints on design practice via standardisation, differences can cause fewer real issues. Finally, while it was found that background did affect design skill and practice, the evidence also suggests that this is not permanent.

To date the majority of research into engineering design expertise has been done within an occidental context. With an increase in multinational design firms engineers are now more likely to work with engineers of different backgrounds. The authors’ experience in countries other than their own suggested that background can affect design engineers’ thinking and working, and the nature of expertise. This prompted a study (via interviews) into design teams with mixed (by nationality) members. This investigation into occidental and Sino backgrounds and engineering design expertise showed that a Sino background encouraged low risk reliable designs and detailed thinking while an occidental background promoted unique ideas, systemic thinking and the use of objective knowledge. However, individual change and improvement is possible.