The present paper focuses on the topics of E- business, E- manufacturing and Virtual Enterprises in distributed
environments. It is based mainly on the Europe&Asia Link project WECIDM (ASI/B7-301/3152-99/72553) starting in
January 2004 and in the Collective project KNOW-CONSTRUCT (COLL-CT-2004-500276) starting in March 2004.
WECIDM project aims to develop an internet-based platform that allows a distributed team to perform a collaborative
design in which the knowledge from different parts of the value chain, like design rules imposed by the manufacturing
process, since most of the design and manufacturing management systems of an enterprise do not consider all the
involved product/process knowledge from the whole value chain.
KNOW-CONSTRUCT project aims to develop a common internet-based platform for SMEs from the construction sector
to provide an effective combination of two general functionalities: an innovative decision making support system
regarding the products characteristics, applications and other consultancy services for SMEs’ customers applying the
"web enabled dialogue", and a system for SMEs to support an advanced form of co-operation through the creation of
Knowledge Communities of SMEs.
Interesting paper, presenting the outcome of two projects. Could you, please, explain how exactly the collaborative design has been achieved? Is it through shared workspace with all the users working simultaneously or just one after another?
Dr Daniela Tsaneva
Research Associate
Cardiff School of Computer Science,
Cardiff University,
Queen's Buildings,
5 The Parade, Roath,
Cardiff CF24 3AA,
UK