Using Design Communication Tools in Product Development

However, tool selection is only the first step.

7 Best Practices for Effective Design Communication in Product Design

Adopting best practices is crucial for maximizing the value of your chosen design communication tools. Here are some key strategies to consider:

1. Establish Clear Communication Protocols

Define how and when communication should occur within your team. Determine the appropriate tools for different types of interactions – for example, using instant messaging for quick questions and email for more detailed discussions.

2. Maintain Organized Documentation

Effective design communication means ensuring that all design changes, decisions, and feedback are well-documented and accessible to everyone on the team. Use version control systems to track revisions and avoid confusion over the latest design iteration.

3. Assign Clear Responsibilities

Leverage task management tools to assign specific responsibilities to team members, with clear instructions and deadlines. This helps avoid confusion and keeps everyone accountable for their roles.

4. Monitor Progress and Adjust as Needed

Regularly review the status of tasks and projects, and be willing to make adjustments to deadlines or reassign work as necessary. Maintaining visibility into the overall progress is key to keeping your product development on track.

5. Implement Structured Approval Workflows

Define a clear process for submitting, reviewing, and approving designs within your communication tools. Make sure all stakeholders understand their roles in this workflow to streamline the approval process.

6. Gain Insights from Analytics

The analytics and reporting features within modern design communication platforms can provide valuable insights into your team’s collaboration patterns and productivity. Analyze this data to identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions about optimizing your processes.

7. Communicate with Manufacturers Early

Don't wait until the last minute to involve your manufacturing partners. Use your communication tools to collaborate with them early in the design process, incorporating their feedback to avoid costly issues down the line.

The Onshape Advantage

Onshape stands out as an exceptional choice when it comes to design communication tools. As a modern, cloud-native CAD platform, Onshape offers a suite of features that seamlessly integrate design, collaboration, and communication, elevating the product development process.

1. Centralized Collaboration

Onshape's cloud-native architecture that’s accessible from an internet browser creates a one-stop-shop environment where multiple team members can work on the same design simultaneously. This streamlines the design process and reduces the time and effort spent on revisions and approvals.

To access Onshape, a quick sign-in on any internet browser.

2. Seamless Communication

Onshape’s built-in communication features, such as comments, annotations, and change notifications, facilitate frictionless exchanges between designers, engineers, and other stakeholders. Teams can easily track design updates, provide feedback, and make informed decisions without having to navigate between multiple communication platforms.

3. Organized Documentation

Maintaining organized documentation is crucial for effective design communication. Onshape’s built-in version control and data management capabilities ensure that all design changes, decisions, and feedback are recorded and accessible to the entire team. This level of documentation promotes transparency and provides an invaluable audit trail, helping to prevent miscommunication and ensure accountability.

Onshape’s Version and history panel displays every change made to a design.

4. Integrated Task Management

Onshape's seamless integration with task management tools allows you to assign, track, and monitor tasks directly within the design environment. This enhances collaboration by keeping team members aligned on responsibilities and deadlines, while also providing visibility into the overall project progress.

Demonstration of task management in Onshape.

5. Data-Driven Insights

Onshape Analytics, available through the Enterprise plan, can provide valuable insights into your team’s work patterns and overall productivity. By closely monitoring metrics, you can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to optimize product design processes.

A quick demonstration showing how to create a report from Onshape Analytics.

6. Bridging the Gap Between Design and Manufacturing

Effective communication with manufacturers is crucial for ensuring that your designs are produced accurately and efficiently. Onshape’s capabilities make it easy to share designs in the appropriate formats, provide manufacturers with all the necessary information, and maintain version control to avoid confusion.

7. Early Manufacturer Feedback

Onshape’s design communication tools also facilitate early collaboration with manufacturers, enabling you to incorporate their feedback into the design process. This can help catch potential issues before they become costly problems, saving time and resources in the long run.

The Power of Onshape for Elevating Design Communication

CAD system collaboration and communication then vs. now.

By leveraging Onshape as your design communication platform, you can empower your product development team to collaborate more effectively, streamline workflows, and deliver innovative products to market faster than the competition.

Onshape's unique approach to integrating design, communication, and data-driven insights makes it a powerful ally, empowering product developers to push the boundaries of what's possible.