ABSTRACT
Solving complex problems requires input from stakeholders with different disciplinary expertise. Each stakeholder contributes to solution finding and generation by bringing a different set of skills to approaching the problem. Teamwork is crucial for performing most design tasks as these different roles and perspectives can complement each other, far beyond the scope of a single individual. Proper communication between team members is required to reap the benefits of teamwork. Communication in teams has been shown to be influenced by the relationship between team members, hierarchies present within teams and team diversity. Communicative acts have also been shown to represent team processes. However, research on the relationship between team member communication and its impact on team outcomes, team performance and team decision making is limited. Even more limited are studies that identify when communication is most important during design and the impact of functional boundaries within the team. Using the DTRS11 data, we studied the influence of communication on team design decisions made and the communication patterns that emerge to create different decisions, focusing on the influence of the presence of functional boundaries. We found that roles and positions influence design decisions made and in a well-integrated crossfunctional team, the presence of multiple functional groups can reduce this effect. Having a cross-functional team led to increased input on decisions made, following an integrative approach, than in a team with a single functional group.
