Roles of negotiation protocol and strategy in collaborative design

Abstract

In collaborative design, designers work together to identify requirements, explore design spaces, generate design alternatives, and make agreements. Due to information latency and disciplinary differences, it is often a difficult task for designers to reach agreements when needed. Negotiation has been a method for facilitating information exchange, mutual understanding, and joint decision-making. Our research attempts to understand how negotiation protocols and strategies may influence collaborative design behavior. In this paper, an experimental study is presented that indicates the roles of an argumentative negotiation protocol and a multi-level negotiation strategy in collaborative design. The results of the experiment have shown both positive effects and limitations of the protocol and strategy. © Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2008.