How humans collaborate with one another has been closely linked to technological progress.
Before the invention of the telephone, we had to be in the same room to communicate in real-time – and prior to the internet, we had to be in the same building to share our designs, new ideas, or other documents.
Collaboration has always been a moving target, and in modern times we shouldn’t be surprised that new technological innovations are again shifting how humans work and coordinate together.
The New Collaboration Cycle
Today’s infographic comes to us from Schneider Electric, and it shows that humans are no longer making things using a linear approach.
Instead, modern collaboration is a cyclical process with no defined start or end points – and it often involves more users and stakeholders, continuous access, and an increasingly decentralized workforce.
The 24/7 Knowledge Factory
All around the world, the way that teams work together is changing.
Instead of always being centralized at a local level, teams are adding talent from around the world who bring diverse perspectives and new ideas to the table.
The modern organization never sleeps – it has people from different countries, time zones, and cultures all working together to create new designs or products simultaneously.
Collaboration on projects is happening in real-time, at all times of the day, and this has several benefits. It brings together a broader range of skills and perspectives, makes teams more customer-centric, reduces errors and wasted money, and enhances both decision-making and product development cycles.
Working Together is Changing
How are teams collaborating 24/7 in real-time from locations around the world?
VR/AR
Designers, engineers, and other team members can collaborate in parallel, using mixed reality as a common medium.
Collaborative Intelligence (AI)
Multi-agent, distributed systems where each agent, human or machine, is uniquely positioned, with autonomy to contribute to a problem-solving network.
Advanced Modelling (3D and 4D printing)
Design and manufacturing can be integrated seamlessly, even to customize individual items. 4d printing (fourth dimension: movement) is a new frontier where printed objects adapt to various circumstances.
Crowd-based Collaboration
Design is no longer siloed and can be democratized between different stakeholders. Further, teams can work simultaneously from all over the world.
Computer Supported Collaborative Design (CSCD)
The synchronous sharing of information and interaction with ideas, in an AI-driven, data-intensive environment. Here, problem solving, data and service “agents” support, or replace, labor intensive work and possibly the human traits of intuition and decisi, as well.n making.
The Next Wave
How humans work together is changing, but also shifting is how humans and AI will collaborate together.
The new technological landscape creates many questions and uncertainties for companies today:
- Will new “collaborative” technologies really change how we engage, and innovate with, our colleagues?
- Will a hyper-networked, always-engaged global collaborative environment create “too many cooks in the kitchen”?
- With more opportunity to get involved in processes, how does the role of the end-customer change?
- Will traditional design and implementation switch to being more service-based, as time goes on?
