Coordination in Multi-Organization Creative Design Projects

Abstract

We are interested in the coordination of design and planning decisions in large, multi-organizational projects and their implications for technology support. These projects are undertaken by goal-driven "virtual organizations", involving companies of different sizes, professional traditions, cultures, as well as geographic location. We have observed several months of planning and review meetings in a multi-national architectural project and have gathered volumes of design and planning documentation in the form of memoranda, faxes, project plans and design drawings. From our observations, we outline the requirements and possible features of useful coordination support.