Understanding the role of virtual environments in collaborative design

The developments in and broad use of computer technologies have brought fundamental changes in the ways in which Architecture- Engineering- Construction (AEC) professionals collaborate and design, partially because the developments in technology achieved the creation of computer tools that are technically and financially feasible to use. Technological developments have not only provided new opportunities and possibilities for design but they have also contributed to the complexity of many design processes. In this paper, drawing on the results from our recent cognitive studies of designers and design collaboration in different virtual environments, we discuss the impact of virtual environments on design collaboration process and a number of communication strategies which contribute to effective communication