Managing the Design Team

Abstract

Engineering design involves teamwork, and the better the team works the more likely it is that a high-quality design will emerge. Typically, design teams are multidisciplinary; and as the demands on the team change during the course of a project, so the composition of the team may need to be adjusted as the work progresses. Team members are now often “geographically dispersed,” working far apart from each other, perhaps in different countries, cultures, and time zones. Communication has, therefore, become an even more critical issue. It is no longer simply a matter of making sure that information is sent and received, but ensuring that it has been interpreted and understood as originally intended. The use of computer systems for communication is no longer optional for commercial design projects — it has become essential for remaining competitive. The form of communication and the tools required may change depending on the design phase.