From Siloed to Synced: Onshape & Naya for Connected Product Teams

Architect and product designer Jake Rudin teamed up with design studio NOS Design to tackle a surprisingly relatable problem: the discomfort of dental X-rays. The solution required careful redesign, as Jake and his team reimagined the bitewing sensor, creating a more comfortable, streamlined patient experience. Through this process, the team ran into a familiar challenge; collaboration across multiple tools and time zones was painfully slow.

PDFs, email threads, spreadsheets, and scattered design files made even small updates difficult to track. Every iteration felt like a game of telephone: information got lost, context vanished, and progress slowed.

That’s when they turned to Onshape, PTC’s cloud-native CAD and PDM system, and Naya, the most visual creative management tool on the planet. Onshape provided the 3D modeling environment for real-time collaboration, while Naya connected every file, comment, and stakeholder in one browser-based workspace.

Rudin explains: “I was able to step away for personal vacations while the team continued modeling, and when I returned, all the context was right there. I didn’t need hours of onboarding calls or to hunt down files, the project just moved forward seamlessly.”

The result? A series of “micro-innovations” that transformed a dreaded dental tool into something smarter, sleeker, and far more patient-friendly.

How Onshape and Naya Solve the Modern Design Puzzle

Onshape changed the game for product design. By leading with cloud-based collaboration for 3D CAD, they solved one of the toughest challenges in modern engineering: getting teams to work together in real time, on the same model, without the headaches of file transfers, file search, or version mix-ups.

As product development grows more complex, so does collaboration. Small teams may get by with just 3D models in Onshape, but in reality, most are already juggling many other file types — and as projects or teams grow, that complexity only increases. Designs live in Figma. Brainstorms happen in Miro. PRDs take shape in Google Docs or Word. Presentations appear in Slides or PowerPoint. Teams might also be juggling a project management platform, a shared Google Drive, and a Dropbox. The tool stack is incredibly heavy, and the weight shows in slowed feedback, scattered context, and mounting confusion.

That complexity creates real challenges:

• Time wasted searching for files or context
• Limited project history and transparency; uncertainty about what’s current
• Difficulty sharing work with clients or partners, causing delays in feedback, approvals, and handoffs
• Painful onboarding for new team members
• Lost efficiency, billable hours, and revenue

That’s where Naya comes in; think of us as the glue. Onshape solved the 3D problem beautifully; Naya extends that clarity across the entire design journey. We bring every file type, every tool, and every stakeholder into one shared space, integrating seamlessly with Onshape so teams stay aligned from concept to launch. Plus, Naya leverages AI to boost productivity — automating routine tasks, surfacing insights, and helping teams make faster, smarter decisions throughout the design process.

From early ideas to final deliverables, Naya adapts to the needs of diverse industries and specialties. Whether teams are developing precision engineering tools, consumer products, healthcare devices, or complex manufacturing systems, Naya accommodates every workflow into a single, browser-based workspace. Teams can collaborate across disciplines, regions, and time zones without losing context, ensuring that every idea is captured, every iteration is tracked, and every deliverable moves seamlessly from concept to completion.

Why Onshape & Naya Work Better Together

Together, Onshape and Naya create a connected environment where every stakeholder, from engineers to executives to clients, can engage without friction. Teams using Onshape and Naya benefit from:

Efficiency & Speed

• Centralized platform for design, feedback, and visibility
• Real-time input across tools and disciplines
• Faster handoffs and project timelines

Clarity & Collaboration

• Accessible for technical and non-technical users alike
• Clear project history for informed decision-making
• Faster onboarding and stronger team connection

Growth & Impact

• Better client experiences
• Case studies that help sell and win more work
• A living knowledge base that grows with each project

Just as importantly, this connected approach creates a better client experience. When external partners can see progress and contribute without friction, projects stay on track and trust grows naturally.

As PTC’s Chief Evangelist and Onshape Co-Founder Jon Hirschtick explains: “Naya helps teams act faster by connecting the work happening in Onshape with the rest of the design journey. It ensures decisions, feedback, and iterations happen in real time, no matter where people are geographically or within the creative process, or what tools they’re using.”

With Onshape solving 3D collaboration, and Naya extending that clarity across everything else, teams move from siloed tools and scattered context to a truly synced design process. Whether you’re managing internal handoffs or external feedback, Onshape and Naya help teams stay aligned, responsive, and working from the same source of truth.

The same connected approach also benefited North Atlantic Corp, a custom door manufacturer. By centralizing all input in Naya, teams across regions could collaborate seamlessly.

“We centralized input across teams in different regions,” said John Humphrey, COO of North Atlantic Corp. “Even people without CAD backgrounds could see what was happening and weigh in directly.”

Instead of passing files back and forth or losing time clarifying feedback, engineers, executives, and fabricators could all access the same files in one place. Comments, updates, and decisions happened in real time, reducing delays and misunderstandings.

Visual Access Without Technical Barriers

Many traditional design tools are built for technical users, but modern product development depends on visibility for everyone. Naya gives non-technical stakeholders the ability to:

• Rotate 3D models in the browser
• View version history
• Leave contextual feedback

Naya gives non-technical stakeholders the ability to rotate 3D models, view version history, and leave contextual feedback, all in the browser.

“I don’t typically have a license for 3D software,” said Humphrey, “but I can see and comment on Naya.”

This level of access empowers clients and business stakeholders to give timely, informed feedback. Naya acts as the bridge, bringing everyone together in one shared workspace, reducing delays, minimizing misunderstandings, and helping the entire team move forward with confidence.

Building Better Products Together

When collaboration works, teams move with clarity and confidence. Decisions happen faster, ideas evolve more smoothly, and every contributor has a voice in the process.

With so many conversations, files, and iterations happening at once, it’s easy for context to scatter. Naya addresses this by weaving documentation directly into the workflow, so knowledge is captured as work unfolds. AI then takes it further: surfacing patterns, connecting ideas across disciplines, and highlighting lessons learned. The outcome is more than just smoother projects in the moment; it’s a living knowledge base that grows stronger with every collaboration.

Together, Naya and Onshape solve the core challenges of modern product development. They give teams a shared workspace that supports rapid iteration, clear visibility, and real-time input across disciplines. The result? Teams can:

• Use AI to uncover insights, patterns, and lessons learned
• Keep the entire process in one place
• Move faster and stay focused
• Deliver a better client experience

From first concept to final approval, every stakeholder has access to the right context and the ability to contribute without slowing things down. The future of product collaboration is integrated, accessible, and inclusive — and Onshape and Naya are making it a reality.

Ready to Connect Your Entire Product Team?

Connecting Onshape to Naya is simple. Once you've logged into your Onshape account through Naya’s "Apps & integrations" window, you’re all set. Clicking the Onshape icon on Naya’s toolbar will generate a new 3D model directly into your project space. All changes made in Onshape will automatically sync to Naya, ensuring your project is always up to date. Happy creating!

Learn how Naya can simplify your design collaboration at www.naya.studio.

About the Authors

Saad (CEO & Co-Founder)

Saad Rajan is an entrepreneur, designer, and strategist who has built across five continents and disciplines ranging from architecture and apparel to renewable energy systems. After more than a decade of designing everything from earthquake-resilient homes in Central Asia to commercial towers in Canada, he co-founded Naya at Harvard with the mission of reimagining how people collaborate in design. Naya superpowers the design workflows of boutique studios to global enterprises like Google, MillerKnoll, and Adidas. Saad believes design is a journey and that technology should make that journey more inclusive, thoughtful, and creative.

Vivek (CTO & Co-Founder)

Vivek HV is a designer, builder, and technologist whose career has spanned industries from private aviation to healthcare, gaming, and finance. He has designed and engineered everything from custom jets for global clients such as Taylor Swift and Jackie Chan, to digital platforms that impact millions of users. After years of seeing how poor collaboration led to delays, budget overruns, and compromised design quality, Vivek co-founded Naya to reinvent how teams work together and give superpowers to anyone. As head of product and engineering, he focuses on building technology that connects designers, engineers, and clients in one shared process — helping teams turn ideas into products with greater speed, clarity, and delight.

Jimmy (VP of CX)

Jimmy is VP of Customer Experience at Naya, where he helps teams bridge the gap between design intent and real-world collaboration. Trained as an architect and researcher, he has spent his career exploring how people, processes, and technology intersect to shape better outcomes. At Naya, Jimmy works closely with customers to uncover core challenges, foster trust across disciplines, and ensure every stakeholder feels empowered in the design process. His mission is to help organizations build more sustainable and human-centered ways of working, one team at a time.