An examination of the collaborative design process using multiple media resources and sharing protocols

Design is a critical part of what human beings do. While the solitary genius inventor remains a romantic icon, the modern workplace is dominated by collaborative activity. As products and services have grown in complexity, collaborative design has become increasingly multidisciplinary and conducted by large teams of specialists and their clients. This thesis examines electronic support of teams in face-to-face meetings. Electronic support, intended to enhance communication of ideas and understanding among team members, was available for the empirical study of this thesis in Rensselaer's Design Conference Room. Four particular protocols for sharing computer-based communication tools were selected for this special study. Four teams of four members each participated in four sessions performing a different activity in each session using a different protocol. Evaluation of the protocols and their effects on team work products and productivity is based on a rich array of recorded observations. Petri net modeling provides a theoretical structure for the evaluation of the experimental data. This laboratory documentary study has led us to extend colored Petri net models to reflect synergies between oral and electronic media occurring when teams engaged in meaningful work using oral communication to govern sharing of electronic resources. Quantitative analysis reveals significant behavior patterns including the heavy use of oral communications when passing control of the electronic floor and the adaptation of prescribed protocols for a session to the team's preferred sharing behavior.