Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs), defined as systems that allow performing some collaborative tasks in a virtual world, were proposed since 1990. From the beginning, these systems were developed as particular applications of Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) in a virtual reality world, with specific restrictions on both collaborative work and technological (hardware and software) requirements. Therefore, design guidelines which could be applied to new developments have not been proposed. This paper presents a general framework for designing and developing CSCW systems in virtual 3D environments, which integrates new methodologies that provide clear and formal techniques to develop CSCW, interactive and 3D systems.