Abstract
The purpose of this research is to develop a collaborative architectural design system. Design collaboration requires an extensive use of communication methods as well as the participation of various experts from different domains. Such facts address several issues when the Internet and digital media are able to create a completely new work environment. The building design process was studied, and possible modes of design collaboration were defined. A prototype system is being developed in accordance with the defined collaboration model. The system integrates a set of communication tools and web-based design media. Such media include a synchronous multi-user web CAD tool, a schematic 3D design tool, and a electronic whiteboard. A project database was designed in order to coordinate the project-wide communication which elaborates technologies such as web-based data access. In order to find out the effectiveness of the system, a usability test was performed both in quantitative and qualitative manner. The research will contribute to the development of world-wide design and construction collaboration through the Internet, which is becoming a mainstream building process model.