In this paper, we show that the organization by project and remote work constitute two major evolutions for managing the design process. These evolutions are taken into account by contemporary research, which proposes to adapt the theoretical approaches of design to the following objectives. First, to include the sociocognitive dimensions in the models of design process. Secondly, to take into account the increasing frequency and volume of interactions in the work situations. Finally, to revise the concept of ? working design situation ?.
An outstanding consequence of these evolutions is that the various designers involved in the same project have to synchronize, more often than in the past, their cognitive activity. This process relies on the communication resources, and leads designers to engage an argumentation process. Meanwhile, they have to use to their fullest the externalized artifacts in order to operate the dialectics between internal and external design representations.