A dichotomy exists in the engineering design process between 1) product teams organized to engineer products collaboratively, and 2) the single-user architectures inherent in computers and computer-aided design applications (CAx). Selective design authority is typically assigned to individuals within a product team; they become contributors in a serialized design process largely driven by a set of core CAx applications. Unfortunately, single-user serial architectures inhibit concurrent engineering, in spite of the numerous research efforts into product team cooperation, functional constraints, and data/model propagation and transparency. By surveying modern collaborative technologies, including modern internet gaming, and by also demonstrating our own collaborative CAx prototypes, we draw some interesting conclusions as to collaborative limitations. From these conclusions we propose research that will hopefully formalize and focus the multiuser collaborative agenda, including computer and networking architectures, user interfaces, and CAx applications.

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Product development uses the engineering design process to conceptualize and design new products, while relying on computer-aided application tools like CAD/CAE/CAM that are unfortunately designed for single users. In the absence of multiuser engineering applications, this paper uses surveys and facility visits to show an increased reliance on social communication tools for closing design collaboration feedback loops. Product development requires collaboration among myriad personnel and organizations, each having unique complementary experiences and capabilities. Collaborative design has a primary goal: reduce time-to-market and competitive costs for new products, while retaining quality of product performance and minimizing environmental impact. The focus of this paper is to compare contemporary methods and tools used in collaborative product design at notable corporations to emerging multiuser computer-aided applications. This comparison will define a future where design mistakes and time-to-market are reduced, collaboration is not only truly concurrent, but simultaneously concurrent, and where design rationale is more easily captured and shared for later review and for educational training. Emerging Design Methods and Tools in Collaborative Product DevelopmentProduct development uses the engineering design process to conceptualize and design new products, while relying on computer-aided application tools like CAD/CAE/CAM that are unfortunately designed for single users. In the absence of multiuser engineering applications, this paper uses surveys and facility visits to show an increased reliance on social communication tools for closing design collaboration feedback loops. Product development requires collaboration among myriad personnel and organizations, each having unique complementary experiences and capabilities. Collaborative design has a primary goal: reduce time-to-market and competitive costs for new products, while retaining quality of product performance and minimizing environmental impact. The focus of this paper is to compare contemporary methods and tools used in collaborative product design at notable corporations to emerging multiuser computer-aided applications. This comparison will define a future where design mistakes and time-to-market are reduced, collaboration is not only truly concurrent, but simultaneously concurrent, and where design rationale is more easily captured and shared for later review and for educational training.

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