The following is my term paper for VM503 - Aesthetics and History of New Media (aka, Hub2). This paper is also available as a PDF download.
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Abstract
Virtual worlds provide architects and engineers with design tools for collaboration across distant locations. These developments present opportunities for non-traditional designers, such as liberal arts students and faculty, to collaborate on the design of spaces in ways not possible in the real world. Recent studies report evidence that online environments ground collaboration by re-introducing the concept of place back into virtual spaces. Other studies have attempted to prove that networked design is more than simply a technical exercise; it is a social activity. As a result, the nature of both design and design studies is shifting to more nuanced and reflective practices. Researchers and practitioners have embraced this transition to explore the endless possibilities that virtual worlds provide to collaborative design projects.
This paper builds on these and other studies to provide a comparative framework for evaluating a recent collaborative design project, called Hub2, at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. In it, the author will (1) explore concepts relevant to design studies and the influence of networked technology on design practices, and (2) apply these lessons to a non-traditional collaborative design project using the virtual world Second Life. The author concludes with recommendations for future networked-design projects in higher education with a particular focus on the group formation process.
Collaborative Design
Architects and structural engineers have traditionally worked in teams to solve problems. They design models for others to construct physical objects, such as cars, airplanes, etc. Similarly, software and systems engineers have focused their group work on virtual/information objects. Collaborative design often involves large groups, sometimes up to thousands of individuals. But what are the distinguishing characteristics of collaborative design?
Collaborative design is performed by multiple participants (representing individuals, teams or even entire organizations), each potentially capable of proposing values for design issues and/or evaluating these choices from their own particular perspective (e.g. manufacturability). (Klein, et al, 2002)
Authors have commented on the often difficult and counter-productive processes present within these group initiatives (Klein, et al, 2002). Past studies have sought to better understand the nature of individual and group dynamics present in these collaborative environments (Petal, Cruz, and Holtham, 1997). Some researchers have developed models to help visualize, establish and improve team dynamics (Maher, et al, 2000). Others argue that collaborative design should be approached from a social-psychology perspective, because the “process of sense making” involved in such group processes should be considered in evaluating the design of physical environments (Larsson, 2003).
Networked Collaborative Design
Advancements in broadband technology and virtual software have created new opportunities for architects and engineers to collaborate across distant places. Recent studies have attempted to determine the value that new technologies present within networked environments with the purpose of making global design teams more effective (Patel, et al 1997). More recently, researchers have sought to document the role of place within virtual design.
Object representations of a person include characteristics such as a verbal description, messages about their movements in the place, and links to web pages and publications help establish their identity and personality. The visual presence of the avatars brings a new dimension in communication in virtual places. (Maher and Simoff, 2005)
Researchers have made recommendations to software developers that better reflect the practice of distributed design teams (Patel, et al 1997). These and other studies have shown that both the tools and practice of design are rapidly evolving. This opening presents opportunities for non-traditional designers to explore the tools and group dynamics involved in non-traditional collaborative design.
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