Collaborative Trust Networks in Engineering Design Adaptation

Within organisations, decision makers have to rely on collaboration with other actors from different disciplines working within highly dynamic and distributed associated networks of varying size and scales. This paper develops control and influence networks within Design Structure Matrices (DSM); applying the Change Prediction Method (CPM) tool. It posits the idea of the ‘Networks-in-Being’ with varying individual and collective characteristics. [Social] networks are considered to facilitate information exchange between actors. At the same time, networks failing to provide trusted-information can hinder effective communication and collaboration. Different combinations of trust may therefore improve or impair the likelihood of information flow, transfer and subsequent action (cause and effect). This paper investigates how analysing different types of network-structures-in-being can support collaboration and decision-making by using the change prediction method as a way of scoping information propagation between actors within a network.