Design Patterns for Cross-cultural Collaboration

Nicole Schadewitz

The research project discussed in this paper looks at cross-cultural, remote collaboration in design learning. It identifies eleven evolving design patterns. The paper presents a summary of these patterns. In a long-term, ethnographically informed study, I used a mixed method approach to investigate cross-cultural collaboration practices. I analyse data from the first and second year of this study inductively to identify recurring themes and patterns in design collaboration. A deductive analysis in the third year facilitated the articulation of the identified design patterns. Triangulation of data and comparison of Hong Kong/Korean, Hong Kong/Taiwanese and Hong Kong/Austrian collaboration allowed for evaluation of the patterns’ validity across cultures. The paper suggests a community-lead evaluation of the proposed patterns for further research. The findings attempt to raise awareness about the needs and possibilities for localizing learning designs and technologies by designers and developers of interactive learning environments.