Abstract: In some implementations, supporting engineering collaboration includes actions of receiving first user input from a first partner, the first user input defining a project structure of a collaborative engineering project, the project structure including project elements, each having an embedded process that supports data sharing and process-based collaboration between partners, receiving second user input from the first partner, the second user input indicating delegation of a project element to a second partner, the project element having associated data, wherein: during performance of the project element by the second partner, versions of the associated data are automatically created based on a respective embedded process, the versions of the associated data being controlled by the second partner, and, upon completion of the project element, a version of the associated data is merged with a parent version of the associated data that is controlled by the first partner.