March 30, 2012

Autodesk Certification Day – 4.13

Autodesk certifications are a reliable validation of your skills and knowledge, and can lead to accelerated professional development, improved productivity, and enhanced credibility for you and your employer. 

Ideate is pleased to be participating in Autodesk Sponsored Certification Days for 2012. On the dates listed below, you have the opportunity to take an Associate, Professional or both Associate and Professional Certification Exam(s) for the discounted price of $25 ($100+ savings!). This is a great price to renew or get a new Autodesk certification (Autodesk Revit Architecture, AutoCAD or AutoCAD Civil 3D). 

The 2012 certification days are: 
  • April 13th 
  • June 15th 
  • August 10th 
  • October 12th 
Ideate will be offering exams at our San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and Portland offices during the dates above. 

Students can purchase their exams here. To take advantage of this promotion enter the codes below in the ‘shipping details’ section when checking out. 
  • San Francisco: AM0079 
  • San Jose: AM0078 
  • Seattle: AM3702 
  • Portland: AM3452 
For questions email education@ideateinc.com or call 888.662.7238 x1012

What's New in Revit MEP 2013: I'm at a Loss Here! Pressure Loss Reports

Autodesk Revit MEP 2013 has some great enhancements; one of the best is the new Pressure Loss Reports that can be generated for either a single duct or pipe system or multiple systems. Revit MEP engineers and designers can set up reports in a number of ways that include whether or not to show the critical path used, etc. The report format can be saved for use later and obsolete reports can be deleted. Ultimately, leading to better design and document more efficient building systems and improve performance with better reporting.

These new Reports are:
  • For either Duct or Pipe Systems
  • Can be generated for either single or multiple systems
  • Can be saved as a HTML or CSV file type

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, AutoCAD MEP, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013




Bill Johnson – MEP Solutions Application Specialist
Bill has over 20 years experience in applying AEC design solutions for large commercial companies. A graduate of Pasadena Institute of Technology, he has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill has also had the opportunity to act as Lead AutoCAD Designer for multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

March 29, 2012

eLearning – Upcoming Revit Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include: 
4.3.12::
Revit 201: Converting Blocks to Families
4.10.12::
Revit 201: Making Title Blocks
4.17.12::
Revit 201: Rapid Detailing

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Autodesk Revit Server 2013 – Giving Administrators More Control Over Model Management

Autodesk Revit Server 2013 gives administrators more control over model management within their Revit Server Network. Multiple Central files can now be stored on different servers, functionality between Revit Servers persists even when connectivity between them is temporarily lost, and Central files can be moved from one server to another without disrupting links or local copies.


Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013



Derek Wielkopolski
Technical Support Manager/Application Specialist

Derek holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Roger Williams University, Rhode Island. He is experienced working within the AEC industry from concept design through construction administration for both small and large scale projects. As Ideate’s Support Manager he ensures a timely and quality response to support requests and questions. Follow Derek on Twitter: @dwielk

Get it. Know it. Use it.

March 28, 2012

AutoCAD 2013 – Enhanced Model Documentation Tools

The Enhanced Model Documentation Tools in AutoCAD 2013 allow you to quickly and easily create 2D drafting and 3D isometric views from 3D solid objects. These views even allow you to create live section and detail views; and even associative dimensions and text.

Watch the videos:

AutoCAD 2013 – Enhanced Model Documentation Tools:
Part 1 of 3


AutoCAD 2013 – Enhanced Model Documentation Tools:
Part 2 of 3


AutoCAD 2013 – Enhanced Model Documentation Tools:
Part 3 of 3

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013



Derek Wielkopolski
Technical Support Manager/Application Specialist

Derek holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Roger Williams University, Rhode Island. He is experienced working within the AEC industry from concept design through construction administration for both small and large scale projects. As Ideate’s Support Manager he ensures a timely and quality response to support requests and questions. Follow Derek on Twitter: @dwielk

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013 – Component-based Stairs

New Component-based stairs in Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013 provide capabilities to assemble a stair using individual run, landing, and support components. Each run and landing component can be modified by using direct manipulation controls. During the creation process, you can preview the stair in 3D as you sketch the various components. Component-based stairs allow overlapping stairs to be created, as well as more stair layouts including spiral stair cases and winder stairs. Additionally, you can create multiple runs and have Autodesk Revit automatically create landings to connect the runs. 


Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013



Ron Palma
AEC Solutions Application Specialist

Ron has 23+ years of experience in the AEC industry as a designer, lead project designer, trainer and CAD manager. His instructional background includes Autodesk Certified Instructor, trainer, support technician, educator at Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College, and a U.S. Army certified instructor. Follow Ron @RonPalmaAEC.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

March 27, 2012

Autodesk 2013 Products are Here...

Lead the way with the latest Autodesk® 2013 software releases. Autodesk solutions for Building Information Modeling (BIM), Digital Prototyping, and Digital Entertainment Creation can help you gain greater production efficiencies, save time, stay within budget, and solve even the most complex production challenges.

GET THE INFO YOU NEED TO SUCCEED FROM IDEATE, INC.

With the release of the new Autodesk 2013 product line, you can find out what's new, what's different, and discover how the latest products can help you and your firm. Ideate, Inc. is your one-stop resource for all things 2013.



Classroom Training – Open Classes

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming weeks:
4.10-12::Seattle
Revit MEP Mechanical and Plumbing Fundamentals
4.11-12::Portland
Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics
Know your software. Sign up now!

March 26, 2012

Ideate, Inc. Named Autodesk Q4 Reseller of the Quarter

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 03/26/2012 – Ideate, Inc. (ideateinc.com), an Autodesk Authorized Developer and leading Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, announced today that 3D design, engineering and entertainment software industry leader, Autodesk, Inc., has named Ideate, Inc. its North American fourth quarter Reseller of the Quarter for the 2012 Autodesk fiscal year.

Autodesk selected its Reseller of the Quarter from more than 200 partners throughout North America, based on conscientious customer support, use of best practices, industry knowledge and dedication, and exceptional sales growth. The honor underscores Ideate’s commitment to customer satisfaction and its attention to customer loyalty. The Reseller of the Quarter designation is in part an acknowledgement of Ideate experiencing a 150 percent increase in software license sales to customers in AEC and media & entertainment (M&E) in addition to significant new license and Autodesk Subscription sales.

“We continue to see solid performance and customer commitment from Ideate,” said Gary Smith, senior director, Americas Channel Sales, Autodesk. “Ideate repeatedly shows best practices while working to drive adoption of our software. We have a long-standing relationship, and we look forward to many more years working together to address the needs of our joint customers.”

Ideate Inc., an Autodesk solutions source for more than 25 years, helps the AEC professional community fully implement the expanded Autodesk solution set. Ideate provides technical training and consulting resources to meet industry specific customer needs and also hosts various in-person and virtual events to help educate its clients, providing them with updated information in the latest industry trends and technologies.

“To be recognized confirms that we are succeeding in our mission to help our customers reach their goals. Our customers’ achievement of success is our benchmark of our own success,” says Ideate President Bob Palioca. “And we are satisfied only when our customers are overwhelmingly delighted with the complete solutions we provide. We are pleased and truly honored to be Reseller of the Quarter North America.”

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk solutions provider, offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting and 3D printing services to AEC professionals. Established in 1992 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Ideate is recognized as a Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization. Ideate, Inc. operates five Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATC): San Francisco, Sacramento and San Jose, California; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington. Ideate facilities are Autodesk Authorized Certification Centers, providing globally recognized certification courses for professionals who sell, service and support Autodesk products and solutions. For more information visit www.ideateinc.com.

Ideate, Inc. is also an Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ year’s experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM). Ideate BIMLink lets users pull data from an Autodesk Revit file into user-friendly Microsoft Excel, and push Excel data into Revit with equal ease. www.ideatebimlink.com

The Ideate Explorer for Revit is a simple, powerful Revit add-on to help explore, quantify and manage the 10,000+ building elements in a Revit model. www.ideateexplorer.com

Autodesk and ATC are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.
# # #

March 22, 2012

eLearning – Upcoming Revit Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include: 
4.3.12::
Revit 201: Converting Blocks to Families
4.10.12::
Revit 201: Making Title Blocks
Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

March 20, 2012

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming days:
3.26-28::San Francisco
Revit Structure Fundamentals
3.26-28::Sacramento
Revit MEP Electrical Fundamentals
Know your software. Sign up now!

March 15, 2012

eLearning – Upcoming Revit Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include: 
3.20.12::
Revit 201: Conceptual Design
4.3.12::

Revit 201: Converting Blocks to Families
Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

March 13, 2012

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming days:
3.14-15::San Francisco
Ecotect Fundamentals
3.26-28::San Francisco
Revit Structure Fundamentals
3.26-28::Sacramento
Revit MEP Electrical Fundamentals
Know your software. Sign up now!

March 12, 2012

Speaking of Project Auditing, Don’t Forget Your Groups and RFAs

We spend a lot of time talking to customers about how to maintain a lean and robust BIM project database but not enough about also keeping the underlying custom content clean. Here’s a great tip that has surfaced with many of our customers via our Technical Support that highlights the need to audit Revit content; both for Groups and custom family files (RFAs).

Imported DWG/DGN content is the bane of many a BIM Manager. Ideate Explorer for Revit is the perfect tool to find and remove any hidden Imports. However, what Ideate Explorer for Revit does NOT do is find DWGs that may be nested within a custom family (RFA). If a DWG is brought into a family or Group and then not purged, the imported categories essentially infect the project with unwanted categories found within the Visibility Graphics. This can cause undesired results, particularly when Exporting the project back into DWG/DGN format. 

To avoid these problems in the first place we recommend using Ideate Explorer to delete any non-essential items from Groups and Custom families as follows:

1. For Groups, select all items as you normally would to make a Group then:
  1. Run Ideate Explorer to audit the “Current Selection” 
  2. Uncheck any Imports or other items not intended to be part of a Group. We would never advocate including an Import item within a Group. In Revit 2012, in fact, this behavior is no longer possible (mixing an Import with other detail items). If this problem has already surfaced, you should check out this article at the Revit Clinic which describes the painstaking procedure that may be required to fix the Group-related problem.  
  3. Exit Ideate Explorer
  4. Use the Create Group command.
2. For custom families, use the Family Editor as you normally would, then:
  1. Run Ideate Explorer to audit all of the items in the “Entire Project”
  2. Check any Imports or other items not intended to be part of the Family.
  3. Exit Ideate Explorer
  4. With the unwanted items still checked, select the Delete Key.
  5. The last step, before publishing any BIM content for company use, is to purge - twice for good measure!
And, lastly, if you haven’t done so already, consider a company policy about both family and group creation per the steps above as it will surely mean fewer support calls!




Glynnis Patterson is a registered architect and the Director of Software Development at Ideate, Inc. In a previous life Glynnis spent many hours looking at blueprints with a scale, highlighters, and a scratch pad to develop detailed cost estimates.

March 8, 2012

Ideate - IMSCAD Alliance Brings Citrix Virtualization, Networking, Collaboration and Cloud Technologies to Customers


SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 03/08/2012 - Ideate, Inc. (ideateinc.com), an Autodesk Authorized Developer and leading Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the AEC industry, announced today it has formed a strategic alliance with UK-based IMSCAD (imscad.co.uk).
IMSCAD, a recognized global leader in the deployment graphical 2D and 3D CAD applications and now CAD delivery on Citrix, is a long standing Citrix Solutions Partner and an Autodesk Development Partner, having assisted Autodesk in the development of “Citrix Ready” products. The Ideate-IMSCAD alliance brings Citrix, the market leader in application delivery and cloud technologies, to the Ideate product portfolio, with the experience, expertise and support of IMSCAD.

Citrix is number one in desktop and application virtualization, as well as the leading supplier in cloud infrastructures. Autodesk “Citrix ready” products empowers CAD users with the benefits of virtualization, being able to work from anywhere on any device with workstation comparable performance. IT departments benefit from reduced management costs and improved data security by centralizing both applications and data onto central servers. 

According to Ideate, Inc. President, Bob Palioca, “The Ideate and IMSCAD alliance helps us streamline customer access to Ideate software solutions, training and consulting services and to virtualization, networking, collaboration and cloud technologies. When we put the right tools and solutions within our customers’ reach faster and easier, they succeed and they are delighted. That is our mission.” 

Ideate, Inc. and IMSCAD will host a joint webinar detailing the benefits of running CAD applications on the Citrix platform on March 21, 2012 at 12PM PST. For complete details and registration, visit ideateinc.com or contact Ideate Director of Consulting David Haynes via phone at 888-662-7238 x 1047 or email at david.haynes@ideateinc.com

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk solutions provider, offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting as well as 3D printing services to AEC professionals. Established in 1992 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Ideate is recognized as a Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization. Ideate, Inc. operates five Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATC): San Francisco, Sacramento and San Jose, California; Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. Ideate facilities are Autodesk Authorized Certification Centers, providing globally recognized certification courses for professionals who sell, service and support Autodesk products and solutions. For more information visit www.ideateinc.com

Ideate, Inc. is also an Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM). Ideate BIMLink lets users pull data from a Revit file into user-friendly Microsoft Excel and push Excel data into Revit with equal ease. www.ideatebimlink.com

Ideate Explorer for Revit, is a simple, powerful Revit add-on to explore, quantify and manage the 10,000+ building elements in your Revit model. www.ideateexplorer.com

Autodesk, ATC and Revit, are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

###





eLearning – Upcoming Revit Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include: 
3.13.12::
Revit 201: Scheduling 201
3.20.12::
Revit 201: Conceptual Design
Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

March 6, 2012

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming days:
3.14-15::San Francisco
Ecotect Fundamentals
3.26-28::San Francisco
Revit Structure Fundamentals
Know your software. Sign up now!

March 5, 2012

Ideate BIMLink – The Results Are In

It was less than a year ago when we conducted a survey of the Ideate BIMLink user base. The user feedback from the 2011 survey was instrumental in forming our product direction over the past 10 months. We’re pleased to report that since then we’ve issued an additional two “point releases” and were able to address many of the top user requests for new features within our 2012 product including providing FlexLM network licensing and access to key schedule data.  As with last year’s version, our survey gave us some great insight into both the value that Ideate BIMLink is bringing to our customers and some exciting ideas about where our 2013 product should be going.

Almost all of our customers are using BIMLink to solve several kinds of workflow issues. Many, for example, are using it to manage sheet-based information or to create new rooms from an Excel space program. Others continue to use Ideate BIMLink to manage large quantities of custom family content. Others are using Ideate BIMLink in unexpected ways such as connecting elements to barcode data for material tracking, or using it as a method to translate an entire project into a foreign language.

Most gratifying to us, however, was learning about the time saved. On average, Ideate BIMLink survey respondents report 20 hours of time saved per project!  To be fair, our standalone customers are reporting an average of 11 hours per project while the network customers are reporting and average of 32 hours.  The great news is that either way these are very significant savings and indicate that the payback period for a purchase of Ideate BIMLink occurs during the very first project. Download our Return On Investment (ROI) calculator today to see how much money you could save with Ideate BIMLink.

We also want to congratulate the winner selected from our pool of survey respondents: Tamara Youssef. Tamara is a BIM Specialist who works for Dar Al-Handasah Consultants out of their Lebanon office and won an iPad2! Thanks to all our customers for helping us identify and solve BIM data management problems.

Try the 30-day Trial version of Ideate BIMLink today.





Glynnis Patterson is a registered architect and the Director of Software Development at Ideate, Inc. In a previous life Glynnis spent many hours looking at blueprints with a scale, highlighters, and a scratch pad to develop detailed cost estimates.

March 1, 2012

Ideate Tech Team – Top Tier Experts from Ideate Present at Autodesk University 2011

Ideate tech team leader and veteran AU presenter David Haynes says of the AU experience, “Presenting is a privilege. Preparing is a challenge. It is very competitive to speak. In fact, about three times as many apply as are accepted. Once you are accepted, you have five months to prepare.”

As a veteran, Haynes understands what his team experiences. “Anxiety sets in for presenters during the last month prior to AU,” he explains. “The team, in spite of their vast experience and technical expertise, begins self-questioning, ‘Am I ready?’ Speaking in front of hundreds of people can be intimidating, and the post-presentation surveys hold another opportunity for anxiety or relief. The comments can boost your sense of accomplishment or the opposite.”

Haynes would not trade the experience for anything. As he says, “There is simply nothing else like AU in the world. The diversity of attendees from many nations is vast. There is a wide breadth of experience in attendees. There is a lot to talk about and a lot to learn.”



Multiple Facets of Ground-mounted LiDAR Scanning Process Revealed

The lecture class, “LiDAR Data and Point Clouds: From Scan to Plan with AutoCAD Civil 3D,” presented by Matt Miyamoto, PE, Ideate Infrastructure Application Specialist, was designed for surveyors, engineers or planners who wonder where their data comes from and who want to find out more about the ground-mounted LiDAR scanning process.

The session took a look at tools for LiDAR data collection, presented a discussion on how ground-mounted data is collected, processed, and incorporated into a Civil 3D drawing via AutoCAD Civil 3D Point Cloud functionality, and explored how a Civil 3D Point Cloud object can be used to create an existing ground model for use in design and can be further evaluated in Autodesk Navisworks®. 

Participation was far livelier than Miyamoto anticipated. As an example, one attendee, a university instructor, expressed the intention to – after the session– “scan and model my 640 acre campus.” Another attendee from Canada offered to retrieve a laser scanner from his hotel room so that participants could delve even more deeply into the topic.

Miyamoto noticed that during the question and answer period there were many questions that were topic related but not product related. In other words, attendees were interested in both the cross-functionality of the products and the over-arching technology.

The post-class surveys revealed how the presentation would affect participants going forward and what they anticipated next:
“Consider this technology more in my work.”
“Incorporate LiDAR into all my projects.”
“Not become so intimidated by LiDAR survey.”
“Start using point clouds for large surface data sets.”
“I learned the different workflows and capabilities of Civil 3D that I will explore once I get home.”
“Promote using point clouds to my clients (I am a reseller).”
“Present to the office another method of accurate data collection to think about.”
Among the roughly two dozen completed surveys, three indicated they felt that the session was targeted to students on a level lower than their current expertise. The majority indicated that the class was right in line with what they hoped to learn.
“Matt was very well prepared and his presentation really showed the capabilities the class was advertised to show.”
“Good presenter, knowledgeable and professional.”
“The speaker did an excellent job of covering the material and demoing the workflows.”
“Best and most useful class I attended at AU. Speaker obviously has a passion for the subject and used the time allotted well.”
Courses Taught at Ideate: Civil 3D Fundamentals, AutoCAD Fundamentals, AutoCAD Beyond the Basics, AutoCAD Update, Navisworks Fundamentals



Ideate AEC Application Specialist Ron Palma presented two classes. One class, “Shop Drawings in Revit: What? It Can Do That?” focused on helping attendees create shop drawings of their designs using the new Parts, Assemblies, and Assembly drawing tools in Revit Architecture and Revit Structure 2012. The other, “2D to 3D: Transitioning Documentation from AutoCAD to Revit,” a special AU Unconference Session, provided an open discussion on moving documentation from the 2D AutoCAD realm to the 3D Revit world.

Parts and Assemblies Class Fills Lecture Hall

The Parts and Assemblies class was designed for AU attendees who need to create shop or assembly drawings of building materials within Revit Architecture or Revit Structure. Attendees included architects, designers, interior designers, engineers, detailers, contractors, and construction modelers. The class focused on the new Part and Assemblies tools, and covered how the tools work with practical applications in various scenarios. Initial signups included 190 students, and attendance exceeded that number with nearly 200 on hand for the presentation. Attendee survey comments tell the story:
“Great job. Loved that the material in Revit was presented real time. Great speaker and easy to follow along.”
“Great presenter. Solid information.”
“I loved this class. Presenter is gold. Where was he all this time???”
“I was only taking this class because there wasn’t anything that sounded better. After attending, this turned out to be the most important and informative class I’ve had. Great presenter.”
“The speaker did a great job illustrating many avenues to utilize the new tool.”
“Very good class, with lots of questions and interaction with the participating class members.”
Animated Unconference Session Provides Ample Individual Attention

Within the open discussion “unconference” format – only introduced to Autodesk University in very recent years – Palma served as moderator and discussion director. The smaller, highly interactive session focused on the transitions required in the move from 2D documentation to 3D documentation. Additional topics included making use of BIM in the structural engineering documentation process, presenting designs and documents in new ways beyond the traditional 2D views, and involving other BIM team members in the integrated project delivery (IPD) process.

About 20 participants arrived ready for a lively discussion, engaged Palma’s expertise and left survey reports with comments such as:
“I enjoyed the interaction with other professionals in the industry with similar problems.”
“Great Class/Discussion!!!”
“I love this format. Best class.”
Courses Taught at Ideate: Revit Architecture Fundamentals, Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics, Revit Architecture Families, Revit Architecture for Project Managers Workshop, AutoCAD Fundamentals, AutoCAD Update, AutoCAD Architecture Fundamentals


Cross-Utilization Strikes a Chord in How Suite It is!

Up for discussion in the presentation of Ideate Senior Application Specialist Teresa Martin were Autodesk Revit, 3ds Max Design, Navisworks, and Quantity Takeoff. The session, entitled “How Suite It is! Leveraging Autodesk Design Suites from Schematic Design to Construction,” focused on using Autodesk Design Suites to leverage workflow processes from the humble napkin-sketch beginning to a construction model through post-occupancy.

By its very nature, suites was a complex teaching assignment in the tightly constrained format of AU. Martin adhered to the topic by focusing on the reasons behind the bundling and pointed out the advantages inherent in having design suites.

The class was scheduled at an eye-opening 8:00 a.m. on day two of AU, and about 90 showed up ready to explore suites. During the question and answer period which lasted about 15 minutes, attendees had a range of queries including “What classes should I attend next,” “How can I find out more about Autodesk Sketchbook designer and/or Showcase,” and “Is the Sketchbook designer available on the IPad?” Additional questions pertained specifically to Navisworks and its interface with Revit. Teresa answered all, and regarding Navisworks she discussed the switchback feature along with some other settings to answer specific questions.

The survey comments summarize the responses of attendees:
“As a general overview of the purpose and value of the multiple platforms that a Design Suite offers, the presentation did a superior job demonstrating the viability of the cross-utilization of each.”
“…small video glitch. Otherwise great show.”
“Excellent topic and well taught.”
“Good to think about using some of these tools in smaller bites to help ease people into Revit.”
“Interesting and informative! Thanks Teresa!”
“Presenter was very good.”
“She gave me insight as to why the suite packages are offered. She sold me the value to my firm. Thank you.”
“Showed me how I can use other programs effectively. This is what I/we need to enter the wonderful world of BIM. Well done!!!!”
Courses Taught at Ideate: Revit Architecture Fundamentals, Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics, Revit Architecture Families, Revit Architecture for Project Managers Workshop, Navisworks Fundamentals, Green BIM Basics, Ecotect Fundamentals, BIM for Contractors
 


Lean Processes Session Challenges Industry Pros to Rethink Next Steps

David Haynes, AIA, LEED AP, and Ideate Director of Consulting, approached his session, “Adopting Lean Processes in BIM,” with a goal to present the leading edge of an industry wave and provoke thought. While many AU presentations address hot topics such as new solutions and new case uses for familiar solutions, Haynes prefers to peer just over the horizon and explore emerging industry ideas and trends. Spirited controversy and animated discussions result, and the Lean session was no exception.

Haynes’ session posed a number of premises. One is that the contemporary recession has changed and will continue to change the AEC industry. Haynes contends about the emerging economy, “The way you went into the recession is not the way you will come out. AEC design teams who go Lean will make headway. Those who do not are in greater danger of falling behind and not catching up.”

In the past, according to Haynes, “Architects only wanted to create designs so glorious that their customers would weep. Now, design no longer entails the Building Information Modeling (BIM) luxury of ‘we did it because could.’ Architects are charged with designing what the customer wants and is willing to pay for.” Haynes adds, “As Architects, many of us were educated to believe that architecture is a solitary vision. Then we encounter Lean practices and the need for collaboration. Lean Design’s premise is that no one mind is better, that the consensus brings together what the best of the collective mind can devise.”

Since BIM has given architects, engineers, and contractors new tools and revised workflow processes, it is easy to imagine that higher profits naturally result. In truth, some firms readily realize gains with BIM while others find gains elusive.

The session, designed for business owners and firm principals, explored ways the success of Lean practices, primarily from the manufacturing world, can translate to the service-oriented world of architecture and engineering for increased profitability, greater efficiency, and a better total “design and build” experience for the client.

Haynes fully anticipated that his session would be perceived as edgy. What surprised him was how many among the healthy turnout – 120 or so attendees on the final day of AU – acknowledged a sense of change underway in the industry. Some wanted even greater depth of discussion than the session format allowed. One attendee left a post-class comment related to having hoped for more exploration into Six Sigma, a specific aspect of Lean practices in which stable and predictable process results are achieved, and quantifiable financial returns can be measured.

Another attendee also indicated a desire to delve deeper into the topic by saying, “Like many seminars there is an assumption a project is very straightforward. I would like to see how Disney might attempt this.”

The question and answer period extended for a full 20 to 25 minutes, with participants entering into their own cross-discussions facilitated and moderated by Haynes. As Haynes says, “There was no snoozing. And afterward, people stayed to talk.”

Survey comments indicate how engaging the session turned out to be:
“Good and timely presentation.”
“Great class.”
“Have David back!”
“A good reality check on our profession.”
“I have decided the speaker is my new mentor.”
“…the speaker was compelling and knowledgeable.”
“This was of great value to me.”
“Thoroughly enjoyed it.”
“One of the best explanations of implementation and practical Lean process I’ve heard. Many only talk about construction and manufacturing side benefits and processes. Thank you.”
“This is the best class I have ever attended at AU.”
Consulting Services with David and Ideate: to architects, engineers, contractors and owners in transforming design technology solutions. David is the Ideate Technical Team leader.