Erosion of drawing as a thinking and collaborative tool

The Building Research & Information special issue on `Visual Practices: Images of Knowledge Work' (2007) begins to unravel the complex uses of knowledge embodied within artefacts such as drawings and the use of these artefacts in the wider social contexts of sharing and negotiating knowledge. However, there are some central questions about the changing nature of working practices and the complex functions ascribed to visual artefacts. The declining use of drawing and the rising use of computer-aided design (CAD) and information technology (IT) require further understanding, particularly for the social and organizational aspects of working within a design team and engaging with `outside' stakeholders. Within the design office, the use of CAD systems may inhibit crucial peer conversations and interactions as well as limit the iterative working process when compared with the drawing process. Outside the design office, does the finished quality of CAD documents encourage dialogue, understanding, flexibility and openness with stakeholders (especially users) when compared with other forms of drawing? The act of drawing is an intellectual activity that embraces both analysis (understanding) and conception (proposition). Can CAD offer a similar level of richness or is there a loss in capabilities for those without drawing skills? Further research is needed, along the lines initiated in this special issue, to understand better the impacts and limitations imposed by the isolation of working behind a computer monitor.