The Concept of a Virtual Design Studio

Design is a complex, collaborative process. Rarely can a designer imagine, develop, and describe a solution to a design problem without interacting and collaborating with numerous other people such as the client, suppliers, other designers, manufacturers, etc. This interaction with others is not only necessary given the complexity of design, but actually shapes the design and influences the development of the final product. Design is inherently collaborative (illustrated in Fig. 1.1), except in those rare situations where the designer, client and builder are all the same person. The ability to effectively collaborate can result in a design that satisfies the needs of the many people that use the design. Lack of collaboration can result in miscommunication, delays in the design process and an inferior product.