Barriers to Success in a Collaborative Technological Ecosystem: A Study on the Perception of the Interoperability Problem in Civil Engineering Education

Abstract

In this paper, we report some issues in the learning ecosystem at Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University related to software interoperability problems that can be considered a limiting factor in the efficiency of the CAD workflow in Civil Engineering education. We describe the structure of an undergraduate course where various CAD packages are used where data must be shared and exchanged among them. We provide a discussion about participant responses and perception toward interoperability, instructor observations, and suggest solutions to common interoperability problems, along with concrete plans to improve the course. The interoperability issues associated with designing in multi-CAD environments may have significant impact on productivity, the level of user-engagement, and the student learning experience.