Web-based collaborative conceptual design: an XML approach

The highly complex and informal data that have to be managed in the conceptual design phase still lacks of suitable computer support and integration with downstream application, such as the detailed design phase which is supported by lot of computer-aided design (CAD) tools. This paper therefore introduces an object oriented extensible markup language (XML) approach for sharing the users sketching intentions in a collaborative conceptual design environment. A light weight applet-based conceptual design tool is developed using a swing where a user can draw his sketches and store them in an XML format. The system ensures secured seamless integration of data with an in-built engine which automates the workflow once a design seed (initial needs, user requirements and design intentions, etc.) is sowed the system will fertilize it towards a product concept on its own intention. The automated designers’ interactions, on the other hand, will enhance the characteristics and behaviors of the product.