Creating Revit Starting Views Using Ideate Sticky & Titleblocks

Having worked with many customers on their BIM workflows and on my own BIM-related projects, one feature I see underused or not used at all, is the Revit Starting View. Especially when combined with a Titleblock and Ideate Sticky, Starting View can be an extremely powerful feature, ensuring team members office-wide have the latest project information.

Starting View allows you to assign a default view Revit will defer to as a starting point when a project file is opened. Even if you save on a completely different view before exiting your file, Revit will open to the Starting View you specifically assign. It is a great way to open directly to a view you are familiar with and want to work from. 

But, choosing your Starting View strategically, matters. 

Most of the Starting Views I have encountered along my way are project landing pages. These landing pages may contain information such as the client name and address, major milestone dates, notes to the team, and other important details related to the project. Unfortunately, most are also created as Drafting Views, which is a missed opportunity; project information is manually entered as a text note, and usually does not correlate to any of the information you see on a Titleblock. So, I say: why not use a customized Titleblock as your Starting View, instead? 

Using a Titleblock as a Starting View means you can add project based information and all edits will automatically propagate throughout your entire project! Additionally, you can add hyperlinks that direct users to project information, such as your BIM Execution Plan or even the Project Directory, itself.

Now throw in Ideate Sticky to get the absolute most out of your Starting View. 

BIM Managers can use Ideate Sticky with their Starting Views and incorporate their Stickies into Revit Templates. One huge advantage of this workflow is the ability to edit a master Sticky with company-wide information, such as current Revit Builds and any other need-to-know project details. When master information is edited, every project in the office will immediately receive an update. When the team opens their Revit projects, they will see the updated information in their Starting View.

To learn more about this workflow and to get some great Starting View tips, be sure to watch my video on the topic.

Thank you for reading. For more information on the software solutions, training and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Sash Kazeminejad
AEC Senior Application Specialist 
Sash is a registered Architect and LEED Accredited Professional who holds a Master of Architecture from Montana State University. Sash’s experience includes project management, BIM management, and design for architectural firms in California, Montana, and Oregon. As an Autodesk Certified Instructor, Sash provides Revit Architecture training and solutions for AECO firms. @sashpdx 

Congratulations to Our Long-Time Customer, Kava Massih Architects

We are proud to be associated with industry leaders, and our client Kava Massih Architects (KMA) is definitely a leader. KMA has received numerous awards, including The Pulse of the City News’ “Star Award;” Building Online’s “2014 Builder’s Choice Award for Affordable or Workforce Housing” for The Ambassador housing structure in Emeryville, California; and the AIA California Council’s title of “2014 Emerging Talent Firm.” And recently, KMA celebrated its 20-year anniversary!

“We are thrilled that KMA has reached this significant milestone,” said John Hlady, senior account manager, Ideate, Inc. “Ideate has been working with KMA since the early days, and we have seen how creativity, collaborative spirit, and commitment to sustainable processes have contributed to the firm's prominence in the community.”

In addition to receiving numerous awards, KMA has been featured in several articles, including “Bay Area Crane Watch: Bay Meadows and 4 other big projects changing the region's skyline” and “Kava Massih: An architect learning to let go, and when not to," San Francisco Business Times, 01-29-16 and 03-14-14 respectively. Additionally, several of KMA’s projects have been featured in photo tours in Healthcare Design Magazine.

J. Conner, KMA principal, said, “We turn to Ideate Inc. for advice with our Autodesk purchases. John Hlady knows the software inside and out, and he is deeply connected to the industry. He also stays current on our company vision, goals, and projects. With his depth of knowledge, he is able to help us make sound business decisions.”

Those sound decisions have earned the firm a reputation in the Bay Area as a driving force behind a wide range of innovative architectural designs with a solid capability of delivering on time and on budget.

Congratulations KMA! Here’s to many more decades of working together.