A human–computer system for collaborative design (HCSCD)

This research paper presents a human–computer system for collaborative design (HCSCD). The developed system provides users with a flexible virtual collaborative environment for product design and development. An effective collaborative design requires sharing information and resources between different people and organisations; therefore, it needs not only groupware but also a highly interactive integrated human–computer interface. Hence, these solutions need to expand beyond the currently existing and relatively restrictive tools to a fully integrated and flexible interface based on human aspects. HCSCD encompasses a marketing information system (MIS), a human resource management (HRM) system, a communication system, and an integrated product development solid modelling system. The integrated product development solid modelling system comprised of a computer aided design (CAD) module, an electronic document management (EDM) module, and a database module. The developed HCSCD system was validated using a case study.