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Uncovering collaboration dynamics in design projects using network analysis and log data

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2025

Lovro Sever*
Affiliation:
University of Zagreb, Croatia
Tomislav Martinec
Affiliation:
University of Zagreb, Croatia
Matthew Mueller
Affiliation:
University of Zagreb, Croatia
Stanko Škec
Affiliation:
University of Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract:

This study explores the integration of network analysis and CAD/PDM log data to analyze collaboration and activity patterns in a multi-year engineering project. Using logs from a collaborative CAD platform with PDM features, the research examines team interactions and network evolution over time. Key findings reveal that early project stages featured smaller, denser networks, while later stages saw larger, less interconnected structures. Subteam formations were dynamic, with variations in size and number. Individual-level analysis showed that user influence, measured through eigenvector centrality, did not always align with activity volume. This work highlights the potential of CAD/PDM data for understanding collaboration dynamics and lays the groundwork for further studies on team interactions in design processes.

Information

Type
Article
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2025
Figure 0

Figure 1. Moving window analysis of user activity distribution throughout the project

Figure 1

Figure 2. Snapshots of networks (visualization of user-to-user matrix) created at various stages of the project

Figure 2

Figure 3. Moving windows analysis of number of active users, interactions and subteams (left) and number of users per subteam, edges per user, and edges per subteam (right)

Figure 3

Figure 4. Moving windows analysis of global user network density, global efficiency and average clustering coefficient

Figure 4

Figure 5. Moving average analysis of normalized activity, clustering coefficient, degree centrality and eigenvector centrality for a single user