This paper describes a theoretical framework for a data management model for collaborative design. Specifically, a three layer model to manage data at different levels of granularity. First, a hierarchical versioning model is proposed to manage the independent evolution of alternative descriptions of a primitive entity. A version contains specific descriptions of instances of the entity; the contents of a version can be incrementally modified. In the second level, a complex entity (or assembly) is assembled in terms of its component entities. A component of an assembly can therefore be either a primitive instance contained in a version or another assembly. Finally, configurations are employed as a framework to integrate individual designs to describe the overall project. Inter-disciplinary constraints are used to specify restrictions among designs in individual disciplines. Thus, a configuration is formally specified as a set of database versions and a set of applicable constraints. The model has been prototyped and tested on a CAD system (AutoCAD). This paper summarizes the key features of the model and provides an example from a CAD application to illustrate the practicability of the framework in supporting collaborative design.

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