Communication in the context of design teams

The importance of Multi Disciplinary Design Teams (MDDT) in the design world has long been recognised. MDDTs provide the diversity of design and technology, knowledge and experience, needed in the development of complex projects. Despite their frequent use in the industrial world research has been limited in the perusal of an understanding of the reasoning heuristics used by designers working in teams in the development of design outcomes. This paper will focus on the specific aspect of the communication strategies and techniques used by members of these MDDTs while contributing to the design process within the context of team meetings. This communication relates to the explanation of discipline specific information or the request for clarification of discipline specific information between team members. From the finding of the research in communication strategies used by MDDTs it is possible to identify a range of curriculum issues. This paper examines these issues and provides some curriculum strategies that would equip Design students with the skills necessary to be an effective member of a design team.