There was a time when, once a concept design was completed, it was handed off to "the PCB designer," who then produced the final PCB layout. Now, with products as complex as tablets, smartphones, and even electronic games, team collaboration & PCB design is critical. Products are designed by groups of experts, and without the ability to effectively collaborate, time is wasted, and errors are introduced.
The process is further complicated by the fact that often the team is not all in the same location, so software tools to coordinate, document, and share among the team are imperative to smooth workflow. This paper explores several questions that are often asked when evaluating PCB tools that have powerful collaboration functions:
- Is there a downside to working in a group PCB design environment in the absence of a powerful collaborative PCB design tool?
- How can a PCB design tool with robust collaboration tools benefit your team?
- What collaboration features should you look for when considering your options for PCB design tools?