Common Understanding Area (CUA): An x-disciplinary design tool for technological innovation

In the process of innovation of a technological product, the involvement of the disciplines is as necessary as the technological literacy of the team members. In fact, it is well known that the communication problems related to the lack of technological literacy hinder disruptive innovation. A methodological tool, Common Understanding Area (CUA) is presented, which is useful in the teaching field; as an individual instrument of learning; as an electronic product design guide; as a resource to structure the information; as a tool for communication and decision making; as a means of defining product specifications; and as a guide for the evaluation of concepts. Based on a long-term assessment with students of different degrees in engineering, the improved methodological tool is presented, now also transferred and validated in the professional field.