Auditing communication in design: a maturity grid-inspired approach

Communication is a critical success factor in design. How communication processes can best be captured, analysed and assessed, as a preliminary step to suggestions for improvement of communication practices, remains a challenge for researchers and practitioners. This paper critically reflects on the construction and application of a structured group interview in software design inspired by a maturity grid approach. Such an approach yields dual benefit: as a research method and tool to gather insight into communication and as a guide to plan improvements in practice. Initial results of an empirical study are presented. Conclusions are drawn for the process of auditing communication in design.