The role of design engineers: Evidence from intra-firm knowledge and collaboration networks

Abstract

Successful new product development requires the integration of design and engineering, bridging the gap between technological feasibility and user-centric considerations. However, direct collaboration between designers and engineers with heterogeneous knowledge presents challenges. In this context, the role of design engineers—professionals skilled in both design and engineering—becomes pivotal. This study categorizes inventors into three primary groups: engineers, designers, and design engineers based on the type of patent applications they hold and investigates their differences in knowledge portfolios and collaboration patterns. The study relies on patent data for 4,665 US publicly-traded firms from 1980 to 2015 from the PATSTAT database, and constructs two networks for each firm period: a social network of inventors and a knowledge network of knowledge elements. Findings show that design engineers are highly connected within the social network but have disconnected knowledge in the knowledge network in comparison to engineers. While design engineers may not be the primary drivers of firms’ technological innovations, they facilitate interdisciplinary communication and decision-making, fostering a design-technology integrated new product development environment. This research has practical implications for firms seeking to optimize their innovation processes by creating interdisciplinary teams that harness the complementary strengths of engineers and design engineers.