  This paper examines the relationship between gestures' function and form in
design collaboration. It adopts a cognitive design research viewpoint. The
analysis is restricted to gesticulations and emblems. The data analysed come
from an empirical study conducted on an architectural design meeting. Based on
a previous analysis of the data, guided by our model of design as the
construction of representations, we distinguish representational and
organisational functions. The results of the present analysis are that, even if
form-function association tendencies exist, gestures with a particular function
may take various forms, and particular gestural movements as regards form can
fulfil different functions. Reconsidering these results and other research on
gesture, we formulate the assumption that, if formal characteristics do not
allow differentiating functional gestures in collaboration, context-dependent,
semantic characteristics may be more appropriate. We also envision the
possibility that closer inspection of the data reveal tendencies of another
nature.
