Implementing a collaborative conceptual design system: the human element is the most powerful part of the system

In this article, we describe how a new collaborative conceptual design capability was created and implemented over a period of two and a half years. The focus is on the key role that the human element played, an aspect of collaborative engineering that is crucial to successful implementation, but often overlooked in the literature. We also examine the promise of technology, the nature of conceptual design, and the strengths and weaknesses of people and computers.