Abstract
This study presents results from a comparative case study of interdisciplinary product design teams from two consecutive years under non-balanced and balanced disciplinary conditions. The main difference between the two conditions was the hands-on exercise modules focusing on each discipline (e.g., electronic prototyping exercise) used for the balanced condition. The purpose of this paper was to examine cultural traits of different disciplines (Electrical & Computer Engineering, Industrial Design, and Marketing) using questionnaires and show the impact of disciplinary balance on the effectiveness of interdisciplinary product design teams through qualitative analysis of team meetings and products. The results indicated that the teams under the balanced disciplinary condition showed higher effectiveness. Implications and the future direction for the work are also described.
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