Enhancing online design collaboration: revealing cognitive and linguistic fusion in remote teamwork

Amidst the accelerating digitalization of design practices, this study investigates collective design thinking and communication dynamics in remote teamwork. Recognizing that effective team processes are anchored in shared understanding and effective communication, the research employs a dual-method approach. First, protocol analysis, utilizing a new R-C-A (representation-communication-allocation) coding system, is used to examine the cognitive processes of remote design collaboration. Second, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) is used to illuminate the role of language in shaping collective design cognition. Analysis of nine videoconference design meetings across different design stages (early design, design development, final design) highlights both macro and micro relationships between cognition and language in online teamwork. Findings demonstrate significant correlations, particularly between task allocation activities and language related to cognitive processing, as well as a positive relationship between cognitive complexity and authentic linguistic expression. The concept of Language Style Matching (LSM) emerges as a predictor of team cohesiveness, underscoring its unexpected positive correlation with cognitive complexity. These insights provide foundational knowledge for enhancing and optimising remote collaborative design processes, suggesting implications for improving communication strategies and fostering innovation in digital design environments.