DEVELOPMENT OF METHODOLOGY FOR DISTRIBUTED COLLABORATIVE DESIGN ENVIRONMENT
Year: 2016
Editor: Erik Bohemia, Ahmed Kovacevic, Lyndon Buck, Christian Tollestrup, Kaare Eriksen, Nis Ovesen
Author: Vidovics, Balazs; Vukasinovic, Nikola; Pavkovic, Neven; Kovacevic, Ahmed
Series: E&PDE
Institution: 1Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 2University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 3University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Navel Architecture, 4City University London, School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering
Section: Collaborative Environments
Page(s): 058-063
ISBN: 978-1-904670-62-9
Abstract
This paper describes the CODEVE (COllaborative DEsign in Virtual Environment) methodology
developed in a joint educational project of four European universities called NARIP (Networked
Activities for Realization of Innovative Products). The ultimate goal of the NARIP NPD course is to
develop a concept and produce a physical product prototype within one academic semester. In order to
expose students to real life situations the prototype is being produced in close collaboration with an
industrial partner. Elements of the NARIP course comprise: (1) project definition – according to
agreement with the industrial partner, (2) lectures composed and adapted to address the specific needs
of the current project and which are equally distributed to partner universities, (3) project work
monitored by academics, with three distinct phases and review points, and (4) the final workshop that
includes prototype manufacturing, assembly and testing, final presentation and exhibition. The paper
presents the structure and details of the developed methodology as well as an overview of the course
development history. The core of the CODEVE methodology is a set of comprehensive guidelines for
students and teachers that are specially adapted and focused to the issues and problems that arise in
distributed collaborative multidisciplinary design projects. The methodology focuses on management
of complex projects, emphasizing the importance of research phases, prompt clarification of any issues
and balanced distribution of project tasks. The methodology also promotes the use of various
virtual/on-line collaboration tools to foster discussion and exchange of 3D sketches and models.
Keywords: Project based learning, virtual collaboration, new product development, design process.