Co-evolution of design tactics and CSCWD systems: Methodological Circulation and the TATIN-PIC platform

This paper proposes a design tactic and a Computer Supported Cooperative Work in Design (CSCWD) system, which have co-evolved together to meet the goal of improving the Preliminary Design Process (PDP). Because there is no consensus for a definition of PDP, here we define it as an evolutionary, iterative and heuristic process. Methodological Circulation (MC) is a design tactic where multidisciplinary design teams explore the solution space of a problem, while a project manager facilitates this heuristic and effectual exploration by determining the way forward through appropriate decision-making. Creating a computer support system for this design tactic requires considering 4 factors at the base of this co-evolutionary approach: the problem-solving cognitivist posture, the dynamic of the preliminary design activities, the nature of collaboration, and the composition of the design group and management. We present how these factors have mutually influenced our CSCWD system called TATIN-PIC and the MC. We present the preliminary results of ethnographic observations of design teams performing project planning within the TATIN-PIC environment and a traditional designer's environment.