Interest in the use of collaborative learning strategies in higher education is growing as educators seek better ways to prepare students for the workplace. In design education, teamwork and creativity are particularly valued; successful collaborative learning depends on knowledge sharing between students, and there is increasing recognition that the goals of individuals affect their perception of the costs and benefits of knowledge sharing. In a team that is functioning well, members commit to the collaborative achievement of the group's goals; however, students see knowledge as a personal resource that is often used to assess their performance and this may affect their goals. In this paper the authors describe a learning intervention, developed to support creative design by collaborative processes, which has been modelled on the knowledge-sharing practices of design experts. A design-based research methodology, which blends empirical data with the theory-driven design of learning, has been adopted; real-world evidence from experts has also been considered. In evaluating this intervention, iterative cycles have been applied and the motivations and goals of students have been considered. The patterns and principles that characterize this educational intervention are described. (Contains 5 tables and 7 figures.)