Integrating distributed product development processes require the timely collaboration of different individuals or teams from different functional areas throughout the product lifecycle to develop products that beller satisfy customer needs. This integration could be implemented using the techniques and tools of computer supported collaborative work (CSCW). This paper presents a planning methodology to select specific CSCW tools to support the collaborative product development process. The proposed approach consists of six systematic procedural modules that 1) analyze the current product development process and assess its readiness for collaboration, 2) assess the readiness of the organization for collaboration, 3) analyze available CSCW tools, 4) assign organizational resources to product development tasks, 5) analyze the interactions that exist between different resources, and 6) select appropriate CSCW to facilitate the interactions between organizational resources involved in the development process.
CSCW tools, global product development, planning methodolgy
