Leveraging knowledge representation, usage, and interpretation to help reengineer the product development life cycle: visual computing and the tacit dimensions of product development
The rapid proliferation of visual computing technologies, such as three-dimensional (3D) modeling, 3D simulation, and virtual reality (VR), is precipitating changes in the way that designers and engineers work. Visual 3D information processing is replacing traditional two-dimensional (2D), numeric and language-based information processing. Many firms are adopting these 3D technologies (3DT) to support product development, electronic commerce and decision-making, yet very little research can be found in the Information Systems (IS) literature about how firms are strategically utilizing this technology. Our research investigated how 3D technologies mediated the knowledge explication process in product development. In this paper, we discuss an exploratory study on the innovative use of 3DT in two companies. This research contributes to the IS field by providing a theoretical framework on how visual computing technologies can better capture, represent, interpret and share organizational knowledge within a product development context. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
knowledge representation visual computing virtual reality business process reengineering 3d visualization technologies