Fitting information systems to collaborating design teams

• Published in: Journal of the American Society for Information Science 1995-08, Vol.46 (7), p.551-559
• Main Authors: Citera, Maryalice, McNeese, Michael D., Brown, Clifford E., Selvaraj, Jonathan A., Zaff, Brian S., Whitaker, Randall D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Force; Air transport; Barriers; Collaboration; Concept Mapping; Concurrent engineering; Cooperation; Corporate culture; Design; Design Methodology; Design Research; Designers; Exact sciences and technology; Information and communication sciences; Information Needs; Information science. Documentation; Information seeking behaviour; Information service management; Information sharing; Information system management; Information Systems; Information Technology; Interdisciplinary Approach; Knowledge; Perceptions; Product development; Sciences and techniques of general use; Semiotics; Teams; Teamwork; Trends; User Needs (Information)
• ISSN: 0002-8231; 1097-4571
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(199508)46:7<551::AID-ASI8>3.0.CO;2-1

This study examined collaboration in multidisciplinary design teams to identify how such teams can be more effectively supported through information technology. Accordingly we addressed collaboration in terms of information sharing, focusing on four internal processes and six external obstacles impinging on such sharing. Six design experts involved in U.S. Air Force systems acquisition and design were interactively interviewed to elicit their knowledge concerning design team interactions and perceived obstacles to effective information sharing. This knowledge was structured as concept maps—graphical depictions of key concepts and the relational links among them. This knowledge was then categorized with respect to our focal information sharing issues and analyzed for its implications. We summarize these results and conclude by connecting them to emergent trends in information technology. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.