A preliminary analysis on the emotional impact of synchronous, collaborative CAD tools

Abstract

This thesis seeks to explore the effectiveness or lack thereof of synchronous, collaborative CAD software, and compare the performance of individuals utilizing such software to one another. Two platforms were used, Solidworks and Onshape, in which the latter had both an independent and a synchronous, collaborative option available. 16 individuals who were already familiar with CAD tools participated in the study, with each utilizing one of the prescribed workflows for the entirety of the hour long trial. Video of the participant's faces and onscreen interaction with the software was recorded throughout the duration of a prescribed task, and the video was utilized in the analysis section of this study. An in depth empirical and statistical analysis is subsequently outlined, and is intended to be utilized as a stepping stone to a later study that will correlate the emotional analysis summarized here with another study dedicated to the user interaction with the software.