In the fall of 2007, a major CAD technology company sponsored a Design Planning workshop at ID with the aim of exploring the software as a service (SaaS) model as it relates to new CAD markets. After an initial exploration of the possibilities of SaaS we soon realized that from a user's perspective SaaS is hugely advantageous when it is used as tool to collaborate. After this reframe around the idea of "SaaS as collaboration tool" we developed a research protocol that explored the way non-traditional CAD users collaborate. We conducted a disposable camera study in which we asked people to document how they work with others. This research grounded our findings on insights gleaned from actual users. Through this research we developed a set of frameworks that helped us analyze and better understand collaborative relationships and that revealed key user needs when collaborating. We also recommended two strategic paths; the first was a medium to long term implementation of the real-time collaboration innovations of the video game industry, and the second was a short to medium term implementation of a set of user-centered enhancements to their current software portfolio that would help people more effectively and efficiently work together.
