How designers communicate ideas to each other in design meetings

Technological innovation has had a major impact on the world of design, it is not only an outcome of the design process, but also provides opportunities and options for the designer. Technology has not only provided opportunities but it has also contributed to the complexity of many design processes. In the Industrial world there often exists the need for large teams of designers to work collaboratively in the production of large or complex projects. In such situations Multi Disciplinary Designer Teams (MDDTs) are formed. The complexity of the problem demands that the team comprise individuals who have training and experience in a variety of design disciplines. These discipline areas, depending on the design project, could include designers from a range of design fields, e g. electrical engineering, industrial design, architecture etc. Reasons for working collaboratively in the design process are: (1). The complexity of designing a major item, e.g. large building, requires specialists from a diverse range of disciplines, including architects, quantity surveyors, structural and service engineers. (2). The group's effectiveness in reaching a successful outcome is greater than the effectiveness of an individual designer undertaking the same problem [Peng, 1991]. Lawson, using the example of architects, demonstrated the importance of colaboration to their role as designers; An examination of professional diaries is likely to show that most architects spend more time interacting with other specialist consultants and with fellow architects than working in isolation.........[1990, p.184]