Visualization of interdependencies in the product development process

The development process is characterized by co-operations of teams of different disciplines. It is a special difficulty to transfer the information and knowledge between these disciplines. This is not a problem of a communication lack but often of misunderstanding. It isn`t sufficient to provide more possibilities for direct communication but the first transfer of information must support the comprehension optimally. Such an information transfer may be managed by an information portal. Here is an important factor the way the information is visualized. We discuss whether and how the graphical design of a portal user interface can support the reciprocate unterstanding.