AU 2017 and End of Year Wrap Up…Time’s Flying!

When I started this article, I was just getting back from the Thanksgiving break, and busy pulling out Christmas ornaments. One of the things I’m liking the best is moving AU from after Thanksgiving to before, as it gives me more time to spend with family and friends over the holidays, and not feel so rushed. So this, we took a little pre-vacation, and spend some time in Park City, UT before driving down to Vegas.

If you ever get a chance to visit, I highly recommend it. The Waldorf Astoria we stayed in displayed that customer service, done correctly, is what makes a trip like this a memorable experience. The items that don't cost a thing - like remembering guest's name, saying hello in the halls, and making sure everything is perfect for your stay...reminds me that it's the little things found in kindness that makes a difference.

So a couple of personal notes. 2017 was my last for producing training videos for 4D Technologies and CADLearning.com. I really liked working with the crew, and learned a heck of a lot about producing a web-based training program. In my eyes, Dan Dolan and Matt Murphy have the best online training program for Autodesk products out there.  My leaving has more to do with finding the elusive item known as “free time”, as my projects around the house have been piling up lately. Combined with my involvement with the Expert Elite and Directly programs, plus expansion efforts with technology at work, had me working way too many hours, nights and weekends. I’ve also been itching to get back to writing for the blog, as the industry is going through some pretty serious changes now.

On AU 2017. You ever have one of those days where you know you can do better than what you do, and wish you had done things a little different? That’s how I left Vegas this year. Adam Sopko and the AU staff are really starting to push the boundaries of what a tech conference should be, and the additional benefits and features really leave me believing that 3 days (plus a pre-day) aren’t enough. I’m wishing we would go back to a 3 ½ day full event, and get the labs back on Fridays again that would go 3 ½ hours.

Part of that is my own fault. Last year’s Perfecting the System for Revit lab, we were able to cover everything, but this year, I couldn’t get it done, and wanted to apologize to all the attendees. I should have shortened up the first section to focus on the system behavior, but hope that the handouts are detailed enough to fill in the gaps. My other regret was agreeing to take on some new technology for a lab – the attendee interaction tool, Freeman XP Touch. Before you react, I want to point out that I really support this – I like the idea of attendees being able to ask extra questions and poll questions during the class, but the technical hiccups basically amounted to a dry run during the class. The attendees shouldn’t pay the price on the time we’re allowed, so next year, I would encourage the AU staff to plan this out a little better. Two weeks notice on this type of change isn’t enough, even though we had worked the kinks out by the last class.

The other thing that it convinced me to do was to shorten up my presentations. Here’s a note to all speakers – you can put all the detail you want in the handout, but if you’re writing novels like I do, don’t try to present it all. Shorten it up to the key points, and keep the live parts to main areas, without doing too much. I’ve been speaking long enough that I should have known better, and probably would not have stressed out as much as I did this year. I’m also going into self-cap mode – four classes is a little much, and took away from my time to enjoy the event. There’s so much going on, that I really need to get back into more classes myself, especially on the Forge/Quantum side of things.

Back to the event – the AEC keynote was the only one I could attend, but I’m really excited about seeing where my industry is headed. As I look at all the different programs, getting them all to play together in the same sandbox is challenging. I think the best way to simply the concept is to break it down into a couple of ideas.

The data associated with any physical representation of an object – such as dimensional, electrical, mechanical, etc. – is one of the most critical components of a design. Regardless of the delivery of this information, keeping the data in silos – Revit, Inventor, AutoCAD, etc. – is what keeps projects bloated and slow, as well as uncoordinated. Pulling the data out in a cloud database, where the design models can access it directly and without duplication – is a critical step towards true generative design. Just the act of syncing this data across multiple applications that all handle the information differently, is incredibly time consuming. But pulling it out of the modeling program and into its own environment could free up the modeling programs to focus on the design itself, and allow more parts to interact with other.

Generative design represents the next evolution of BIM, and with Quantum on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how 3D modeling evolves. But as an MEP user, it can be tough to quantify, so what would I look for in this realm?

A few features of generative design I would like to see may look like this:

- The MEP geometry should recognize rules on interferences, so they can automatically prompt, or even respond, and reroute, without having to spend excessing time working out alternatives that don’t alter the design criteria of the system, such as air or fluid flow.
- The electrical connector should recognize the available resources, such as panels, and be able to create connection during placement (as opposed to a post-placement editing task), as well as maintain electrical design criteria, without having to depend on spreadsheet and hand-based calculations. For example, the electrical code states what apparent load in VA is translated to for a circuit, based on the horsepower of a pump - adding that table based on rules should be an easy add, rather than through tedious if/then programming in an external text file.
- Control systems in the model should be able to be maintained out to the end user, and integrate with the control software. Water, wastewater treatment, chemical and biological manufacturing and more should be integrated into the BIM environment – and the data related to usage be able to provide feedback in real-time to the designer that needs to make modifications and improvements over the life of the equipment. This requires better integration between Inventor and Revit, eliminating the “conversion” process that’s currently required.

These were just a few of the takeaways I had after listened to the keynote, and talk to other attendees. So what do you look forward to in 2018? Where do you think the future of making things is taking you? In my case…hopefully towards a fish that knows where I am and when to jump on hook…and then fillet itself and season just nicely so.

Overall, AU 2017 was a blast. The Venetian/Palazzo/Sands is a perfect place to hold this event, and the crowds were well served. The exhibit hall this year included a caricature artist - and yes, mine is my new avatar. The special events, where users got to meet with and share ideas with product managers, like Martin Schmid, help give us the sense that Autodesk is keenly interested in your input to help make the products better.

AU is also about connecting with friends, cohorts and like minded geeks. This year's Wednesday night event was a little hectic (way too many people in Tao), nothing beats sitting down with some of my friends and mentors, and catching up. Always great to see these guys - they're the best in the industry, and make AU the great event it is.

Two of my coworkers that attended came back motivated, and loaded with information and ideas that could help them produce higher quality work. It’s great to see younger people (i.e. those a couple of generations removed) really get into the technology that has made my career. This year looks to be promising, so stay tuned…

Happy New Year! David B.

AU 2017 Proposal Time – and now you can Vote!

I’ve been a speaker at AU for a long time now (well, about 13 times) and every year it’s challenging to come up with new and updated topics. But this year is a little different – for the first time, you, the user, can vote for the classes you would like to see. So if you have a topic, like learning Dynamo for Revit, understanding how to bring Inventor families into Infraworks, or gain a better understanding to make your AutoCAD documentation look and behave like Revit documentation, then you get to pick until June 16th. It won’t be the only criteria used to pick a class, but it will be an important one.

So here’s what I’ve ponied up for this year. You can vote by following this link:

http://au.autodesk.com/speaker-resource-center/call-for-proposals/voting

Perfecting the System for Revit

Last year’s co-winner of the top lab at AU 2016, this lab set several firsts. It was a first for me as a two time winner from 2011 and 2016, but the key part was how we taught the class. We covered three tracks – duct, pipe and electrical – at the same time, showing the similarities and highlight key points for each system type. The handouts were the most detailed I had written for an AU lab – an overview, one for each track, and a key points document to narrow it down. Here’s the lab description:

“Revit systems help us to define the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design in several ways, but the main purpose is to understand the relationships between system equipment, such as air terminals to air handling units, or from light fixture to panel. This multiple-AU award winning lab will teach you the key steps needed for controlling project system settings, and then demonstrates how to capitalize on (or disable) sizing and analysis tools related to the system. We’ll cover creating the target-source relationship between parts, and then we’ll review using the systems to improve the quality of your documentation. On top of this, you’ll get a project template that already defines everything in the class, so you can take advantage of these topics right away. The class will cover HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning), piping, and electrical items, so come and join us for this fast-paced but thorough lab—you’ll be glad you did! This session features Revit MEP and Revit.”

- Learn comprehensive steps for controlling project system settings, including mechanical and electrical system project settings

- Learn how to capitalize on the system sizing and analysis tools, and learn how to maximize project performance when you don't need these features

- Understand how to create the target and source relationship between equipment without routing a duct, pipe, or wire

- Learn how to improve the quality of your construction documents by capitalizing on system-based features

Managing BIM Projects Without Going CRAZY

This course was featured as a live event a few years back, and was one of the most watched online sessions for the AU site. Working from a higher level, this class is geared more towards the BIM manager and focuses on high-impact areas of an implementation. We’ve also added some new features to cover from the 2018 release. With the inclusion of fabrication tools in Revit 2018, we step back and learn when and why you would use this content, over the default design content that’s already been shipping with Revit.

“This course covers effective practices for project managers, architects, engineers, and designers working on Building Information Modeling (BIM) projects for all areas of architecture, structure and MEP systems. Learn how AutoCAD and Revit software have altered the traditional design workflows and processes, and discover how to manage the disruptive changes. The course will cover pre-project planning, dealing with project content and understanding what tools can really help the project bottom line. We will also review key CAD and BIM standards, and where Revit software alters typical project tasks for higher levels of development. The course is well suited for the first-time manager and experienced user. If you're ready for an energetic, fast-paced class that packs in a lot of information, then sign up early and often!”

- Discover key points for the project execution plans and staffing

- Understand how to clearly define CAD and BIM tasks for a project and how standardization between both should be approached

- Learn how to migrate third party content and filter essential data into a project family

- Examine different levels of development (LOD), and when to use design versus fabrication tools

I also added two new classes, including one on AutoCAD that was based on training demands we’ve had at our firm, Gannett Fleming.

AutoCAD versus Revit - Common Annotation Tips and Tricks

We still have a lot of AutoCAD users, but it’s kind of surprising how few of our users have really had any training on AutoCAD. As part of a standards initiative, we discovered how little (and how poorly) many of our stuff used features such as annotative scaling for text, dimensions and blocks. We also had some attempts at dynamic blocks, but only a handful of user understood how to use them, much less make them. So this class was born out of the need to create similar workflows and use tools that have the same behavior in both AutoCAD and Revit.

“When you have a lot of old school and productive AutoCAD users, sometimes it can be tough to get them into the Revit way of thinking. One way to get these users on board is to help them relate AutoCAD features to Revit tools, and learn how these similar tools can increase their productivity. In this lesson, we being by learning how annotations such as text and dimensions are controlled by the scale of the drawing. Next, we review the similarity of dynamic blocks in AutoCAD and Revit 2D symbol and annotation families. We examine how actions and parameters in AutoCAD help the user match Revit family placement behavior and features. The session closes by learning how to make AutoCAD dynamic blocks behave more like Revit family types, using visibility and lookup tools. If you need more consistency between your AutoCAD drawings, and Revit documentation, come join this old timer to learn some new tricks, and get a cool template to help you get started!”

- Learn how to define AutoCAD annotative Text, Multi-Leaders and Dimensions to match Revit annotation types

- Understand basic similarities between AutoCAD dynamic blocks and Revit 2D symbol families

- Review specific dynamic block actions and features that emulate Revit behavior

- Examine how dynamic block visibility and lookup table features are similar to Revit family types

Last, but not least…we’ve been working with Autodesk for the past few years to gain a better understanding for methods that link drawings and models together, and share the data seamlessly between programs. Without going into too much detail, the end result is a new product that is now in public beta.

Taking Your Data into the Cloud: Introducing the Revit P&ID Modeler

“In the design world, it’s not uncommon that key project data is stored in application silos, and requires a great deal of manual coordination. Autodesk has taken the first steps for AEC projects to make data available to multiple applications at once, by introducing a connected workflow that shares data from schematic diagrams with a Revit project. The Revit P&ID Modeler breaks silos down by letting the user begin with P&ID schematics in AutoCAD Plant 3D to create intelligent, data rich diagrams. The schematic data is hosted in the Autodesk 360 cloud and is referenced by Revit project models. The 3D model consisting of elements such as piping, equipment, and accessories, is then developed using information defined in the schematic, such as pipe size, type, valve type, and equipment IDs. As the model is developed, and the schematic iterated, the user receives feedback to help ensure consistency and design intent is maintained. Join us to see the next evolution of Autodesk design tools.”

- Learn how a process and instrumentation diagram is defined in AutoCAD Plant 3D, and to determine the key data to be shared

- Understand how to define a hub in the Autodesk 360 environment, and how to prepare for sharing this data with other modeling tools

- See how the Revit model is associated with a hub project, and how the P&ID model interface is defined

- Examine how design data is tracked and coordinated during the modeling process

So that’s my classes in a nutshell – we’re taking some old school to the next level, and jumping in early to get a peek into new products that can really streamline the design process. Vote early and often – I appreciate it!

Expanding the Narrative from AU 2016, and Wrapping the Year…

This year has been a busy one…too busy to be paying much attention to the posts, but it’s time to get back to some writing. So here’s the latest….

Live at AU – Energy Modeling!

AU 2016 turned out to be one of the fastest ones I’ve ever attended. The days screamed by, but it was cool to see Autodesk extend some events into the Monday before. We’ve always had our Expert Elite and Speaker/Blogger socials on Monday, but getting the rest of the crowd together as well for a social expands what I consider to be the most important parts of AU – the networking. I learn as much from my co-workers and fellow attendees just from sitting down and talking shop, so that time is valuable to me.

I did three classes this year, two labs on Perfecting the System with Revit, and a lecture on Powering BIM – Capitalizing on Revit for Energy Modeling. You can see the latter at au.autodesk.com under the live streaming section. The labs were a blast this year, since we made sure everyone’s datasets were open to the right models, and even to the right view. That way, we could focus our time on the key topics, rather than having to wait for users to find and open the projects. There was a lot of good feedback as well (as well as a bizarre comment about not willing to have an open discussion, since the class was based on my personal beliefs – huh?  A lab?).

But the lecture, which was featured live, left wishing I had more time to expand on why conservation is important to me. So here’s a clearer view of my belief this time, to help fill up a few holes.

First – climate change. Yes. The climate changes. The climate has always changed. Nothing about weather and related events is static. While science can give us averages, most models are based on current conditions, human assumptions and past trends. The input can cause a wide variety of results, based on what outcome you want. That’s why I don’t believe climate change should be used as a political football to force human behavior. The world is so culturally diverse that it’s highly unlikely that you’ll get every person on the planet to go back to the dark ages, even though some areas may seem like that’s where they already are.

I love the outdoors. I love to hunt and fish. I love to hike. Was raised by a family that loved to camp, and enjoy a lake. Love being able to play with my dogs. Get awed by the beauty of God’s creation, whether it’s standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, straying 20-30 miles of the coast to fish and seeing more life than you can possible imagine, to the beauty of an early morning sunrise in central Tennessee, turkey hunting on my uncle’s farm. You can’t sit still in those times, and not appreciate how important it is to save all of this – and share it with others.

In the US, we’re consumers – always have been and always will be, as are most developed countries. If you look around objectively, you’ll learn that we are already of the mind to be conscious of our resources. The impact of this consumption goes back centuries, and became prevalent during the Manifest Destiny. But we’re only talking about one country on one continent. It’s probably just as likely that pollution, deforestation, and other behavior that was occurring during this period, already has had its impact. Wholesale changes in the US alone, won’t be enough to alter the outcomes – you’ve got to get other developed nations around the world to also uphold the same standards that we’ve come to now. And some governments see this strictly as a US problem, expecting us to be the leaders but not necessarily taking the same steps.

Where does that leave us? It’s not the fact that we have abundant resources. It’s the fact that we have them, and use them like there’s no tomorrow. As I stated in my lecture, I come from a different time – my approach of conservatism is rooted in the belief that we have an obligation to conserve our natural resources for future generations, and is why I support hunting and fishing organizations that promote resource conservation. As long as it’s not at the expense of relieving property owners of their assets, but rather working in conjunction with them to set aside a reasonable amount that assures a balance between personal/private needs with the overall common good. It can be achieved as long as you don’t fail into the fears disseminated by the extremes of our political parties. It can be achieved by providing non-biased, easy to understand education about conservation combined with personal responsibility.

Second – this is why I say that leveraging our energy models tools and practices is an industry obligation – not a government one. We don’t need a group of politicians – which are far more likely to follow a trend to win votes that actually be of service to their constituents, or being technologically savvy enough to understand the science – to be the ones making decisions about leveraging design technology to reduce our impact on the environment. All natural resource utilization should be based on how, in the free market, providers can develop the technologies that we need to move past the consumption of non-renewable resources, such as oil and gas. We should have a balanced plan for using and managing these resources that are not based on the government’s selection of favorites.

That’s why I’m such a large advocate for the use of solar power, which offers the best small scale ROI compared to the larger scale energy industries. If government is going to be involved, it should be to incentivize both individuals and small businesses, the backbone of our country, to integrate and leverage this growing technology. Make the tax incentives enough to offset the early investments costs, so that homeowners aren’t breaking the bank by adding solar power to their homes. I’d do it, for nothing more than being able to kick the energy providers to the curb. That kind of independence will do more to reduce residential consumption that any other idea on the market. Even giving large scale corporations similar incentives frees up other financial resources, which can be used in other areas of a business – such as salaries…

What influences peoples beliefs more than any government program is the fear of the unknown, of what’s to come. Fear in and of itself is counterproductive, and only serves to prevent us from making the changes we need. We need clarity in the message, all the way down to the layman – my mother. She’s a great woman, but not technologically savvy. We have to be able to frame the discussion in her terms, which was a point I was trying to make in the lecture.

And that’s where I think Autodesk – and other energy modeling software companies – have a large, untapped gold mine. The details are not in the reams of variations in data, which are compiled by PHD’s based on complex models. It’s in the ability to make the complex, understandable. It’s what I love about tools like Insight 360, which provide simple, easy to use graphics and reports to explain how changes in a design can dramatically affect the building energy performance.

Here’s a thought – BIM is a sales tool, not just a process. It’s being able to take what were a complicated series of documents stretched out over hundreds of sheets of 2D documentation, and convert it into a visual that a client can more clearly understand. It expands our ability to make sense of design decisions, and helps us avoid the short term construction issues, while also helping us see the long term implication of the same design decisions. Insight 360 is just one of those tools that will help us sell these concepts to the general population, and achieve the common goal – preserve our resources for future generations while allowing us to still enjoy what we have developed from the same resources for centuries.

So, don’t get caught up in the TV and the hype, and the politics and scare tactics. Instead, do your part – get your boss to let you work from home more often – and actually work at home. Spend the extra money to get a high efficiency HVAC system for your house – and don’t give the money to the power company in the first place. And pick up the cans and newspapers, and put ‘em in the recycling bin. Like we say at church – reach the Triangle and change the World.

By the way – if you watch the live stream video recording from class, I didn’t finish the joke. We’re a rock blazing its way through space at 268,000 miles per hour, and we get behind an asteroid – driven by a blue haired old lady doing 35 in the fast lane with her left turn signal on.

Forgot to say we ran over it – and caused a tsunami that wiped out the Pavilion in Myrtle Beach, causing widespread vacationers to go back indoors to turn up the AC, advancing climate change by 20 minutes…

Back to AU

Did I forget about AU? Man it was packed – love the fact it is before Thanksgiving, and lets me stay home more for the holidays. But the Sands is by far the best place to have the event. The people were awesome, and the accommodations worth the price. Of course, I need to find cheaper places to eat – they do think highly of their food.

The keynotes were a little much – not fond of Autodesk taking an extra block of time away from classes, and offering fewer choices in the time slots. I know, we’re still getting in over 700 classes, but I’d really like to see more of them. Consolidate the keynotes back to opening and closing, and we’re good.

The industry sessions were also cherry – I like the fact that Autodesk is opening up about their future plans. Even though it’s only a crack in the door, I like the idea that they are trying to communicate better with their clients, and make sure we’re all headed to the same goals. Nice!

And the people that hang out with me when I present...man, I love you guys, especially the ones that keep coming back year after year. I've always wanted to make sure you left with more than just a set of directions or tips. Keep plugging, and improve your own world. I'm glad you're in mine!

Having the Expert Elite program members, which I became a part of last year, as guests to the event, shows the appreciation has for this extraordinary group of users. Since the program has started, we have taken – and solved – over 30 percent of all the support cases that are posted to Autodesk. The new Directly program that I’ve been involved with puts the general users directly in touch with Expert Elite team members, who bring their solutions based on real world project experiences – and the same ones you encounter every day. These folks are family, and have a great respect for one another. I’m happy to say I appreciate the opportunity to become friends with some awesome people in this program.

And thanks to Carl Bass, Autodesk CEO, for hanging out with us at our annual lunch meeting. Your insights help us keep moving in the right direction. One of these days, maybe I'll get to see Pier 9 myself...

Next year, we’re back at the Sands on the same week before the holidays, 11/14-16. And I’ll be happy to be there again – and hang out with my extended family.

So it's Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the 'Quay. Ya'll have a great rest of the year!

thanks - David B.

Wrapping up 2015 and AU - it's NEW Year!

It’s been a pretty amazing year, and one of the busiest I’ve had to date. We’ve worked on dozens of BIM projects, had learned a lot and improved our process, while made some mistakes that have help us grow as well.

Here are my key takeaway tips for Revit and BIM projects:

• Make sure you stop using mapped drive letter designations (i.e. x:\project) when linking files – this includes CAD and BIM. When you’re working in a Revit project, it’s the name of the server, or UNC name, that gets stored with the project (i.e. \\server01\project). This especially rings true when you’re working with multiple office locations that aren’t using some form of document sharing, such as the A360 Collaboration for Revit tools.
• Clean those CAD files up - especially the layers! Make sure you’re following the national CAD standard, but assigning the lineweight to the line, instead of using colors for plotting lineweights. These convert automatically to Revit linestyles, when linked or imported into a Revit model. And make changes in the Revit model to these settings after the file is linked in for more consistent plotting results.
• Keeping pounding away at Inventor for Revit families – it’s the best tool to clean up and prepare content for a project. The best file format for conversion has been ADSK for me, since it got be defined for an assembly of parts, rather than just the part.
• Take some time get to know Dynamo if you’re writing code for Revit. One of the tasks I want to look into is whether or not this up and coming programming language can be used to define and control parameters that are associated with MEP connections in a family…stay tuned…

AU was a great event as well. I think it was definitely one of the busiest for me personally, between the Expert Elite events, user research, classes I attended as well as my own. The quality of the instruction continues to rise, and Autodesk is really picking a lot of winners when it comes to classes. The only comments I received regarded the lack of technical instruction over customer stories, and the limited number of MEP classes. Hopefully they can tackle some of these next year.

I went outside of the box this year. Since it was Gannett Fleming’s 100^th anniversary, we’ve had these cardboard cutouts of Farley Gannett, the founder of the company, in every office. Since it was nearly time to retire the cutouts, one of my co-workers who was attending this year’s event, helped me drag Farley all through the Valley of Fire state park, and then through the exhibit hall on opening night. We got to tell his story, and he made some great friends. Here’s a few of pictures from the event.

Speaking of next year, Autodesk has made a change that has really made me happy, and hopefully will make it easier for others to attend the event. They have signed a five year agreement to have AU stay at the Venetian and Sands conference center, which is definitely my favorite venue. It’s right in the heart of the strip, with easy access to other casinos, shopping and more. The quality of the accommodations is outstanding, and the hotel really knows how to host a top shelf convention.

But the better news is the schedule – next year, it’s before Thanksgiving – Nov. 15-17^th! That means that I get my week back in between the holidays, to spend more time at home with family and friends in one of my favorite times of the year. It also gives me more time to absorb what I’ve learned, and figure out how to implement new techniques and methods before the new year. I’ll definitely be there, teaching or not!

As always it’s an honor to teach. I know it’s hard to please everyone, and every year there’s someone with a bone to pick. Normally I don’t do this, but I do want to answer one easily offended critic. I’ve been showing home movies for years before my class, but if you don’t want to see the fishing videos, that’s fine. But I would like to personally invite you to contact me directly, so I can invite you to go do a little fishing with me. We’ll crack open a couple of beers, have a “come to Jesus” meeting, and I’ll do what I can to help you have a happier life. I do hope you got something more out of the class, that will help you in your career.

And next year, the videos will all be about AU – top moments, great friends, and my favorite parts of AU. Who knows…maybe you’ll be in them, too! For all who played along, and hung out with Farley, and then came to the class and listened to all the old jokes, thank you, thank you. I hope the classes were insightful, and you took away something that will help you in your job as well.

On to 2016 – let’s roll!

David B.

-         

      

AU Starts in TWO WEEKS…Are you READY?

It’s that time of year…the leaves are changing, a chill is in the air. Holiday decorations are going up, and turkeys fear for their lives. Stress sets in as you realize that Christmas is only 38 days away…and you have no clue what to get the kids, the dog or your crazy aunt. Fears creeps up as you remember you’ve got to get that donation to the thrift store or make that tax payment…and the in-laws tell you they’re coming to stay from Thanksgiving to New Year…and it’s your turn in the rotation to host the office Christmas Party.

And then, for the geeks in the crowd…Autodesk University is only two weeks away. If you’re a speaker, it’s a special time of year.

A time to reflect on the thoughts and ideals you wanted to share…until you realize you left that key sentence out of your handout, “the opinions expressed in this document are only those of the writer”.

A day to plan out how you want to go through the right series of steps to get a point across…and the Autodesk Application Manager installs Revit 2016 Release 2, which changes the dialogs you captured 6 months ago.

A minute to polish your presentation…and you see a hole in the corner of your sport coat’s armpit…and you’re an arm waver.

A second to consider using the latest model you worked on…and realize you never got permission to use the file from the client.

But putting all the fears aside, you plug through your PowerPoint, make sure your teeth are brushed, that you have plenty of business cards, and get your tablet or iPhone updated with the AU application that will keep you from getting lost for the next several days.

For me, this year’s reflection goes back to the classes I have. The two that Autodesk selected. The ones that were almost an afterthought, fillers for what to use if they didn’t want the ones I really wanted to teach this year. And it got interesting…why did these get picked? What it something that they believe the industry wanted to hear and needed to know? Or was it just eeny-meeny-miney-mo?

There are two, but the first one is the one I wanted to cover the most. We talk about worksharing in a Revit project, and networking, and collaboration solutions the design firm should consider, that offer the best return on investment. And it wound up being the hardest presentation I’ve had to write to date…how do you make this topic interesting? Challenging? Inspirational? And Valuable?

As I was writing it, I realized how intense the topic could become, and how easy it is to get lost “in the weeds” drilling down to too much detail. I had to back myself up, and realize, from my layman’s perspective, that sometimes it’s not about presenting yourself and how “smart” you are.

But rather, it’s about being able to relate to the same problem someone else may be having, and how insight we provide could help them avoid the same problems later. AU isn’t about the classes…it’s about the networking, the personal connection and the shared mindset we all have. It’s about coming to a common place, that we all have the same goals. To get better at what we do, making the most of our time so have more time later to do…something else. Sort of a “love what you do, to get to do what you love” mindset.

I realized that going back to the beginning helped me understand better what it took to get where we are, and just how much life has changed since the garage so many years ago.

And I as was reflecting back on the class, I thought about what I had seen this year. I got to meet the original creators of Revit, and tell them how big of an impact they not only had on my life, but on thousands of others. I got to spend time with some awesome co-workers, who seized the moment, jumped on the bandwagon, and continue to push me – and the firm – to the next level. And we’ve been having a great time doing it, too. But it was cool telling Leonid and Irwin just what we were doing with the software, and seeing their keen interest in how it was being used, so far beyond what the original expectations were.

I turned the speed limit this year, and was able to look back on how much has changed since 1985, when I first got the chance to sit down at a computer and draw, and see the output on an old HP pen plotter. I look at the fascination I had then, and marvel at how far we’ve come, in just a generation. Not just buildings, but systems. Not just offices, but water treatment plants. Not just piping, but distribution stations that aren’t in a building at all. And when I come back to the handout for the class, I realize – it’s important to share where we came from, but just as important to have clear vision for where you want to go…and learn what’s out there for you.

I think ahead about who I would groom to take my place, to carry the banner and lead the charge for the future of design. Would they have the same passion? Would they be willing to commit themselves to being an advocate for getting away from “we’ve always done it that way”? Would they be able to blend common sense in, with the same desire for making their spot in the office and the community a better place?

Let me make a suggestion – spend some time this year looking for the students at AU this year. Go to the exhibit hall, and look for the youngest person in the room. Strike up a conversation – and ask them what they think. And realize…

That’s who we’re working for. That’s who we are teaching the skills we’ve been lucky to learn. That’s who will carry that torch. Share your passion, your knowledge and make sure they know – hey, this can be fun, too. Have a good time in your class – get down off the stage, get out in the audience, and make contact. And walk away with a lifetime of friends…that you’ll never forget.

At least until that average temperature of summer catches up with you…you old folks know what I mean…so get ready. In two weeks, it’ll be time to show the next generation…this is how we roll…and ramble…;-)

See you in Vegas!

Erupting from Chaos…AU, RTC and Catching Up!

Man has it been a busy summer…between work, vacation, getting this fixed and repaired around the house…2015 has shot by like a rocket, and now the fall is on us. The older I get, the faster it goes.

So here’s the catch up time….

RTC First!

I finally got to attend a Revit Technology Conference, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The folks at RTC put on a great show, a little irreverent (just my speed) but populated by a mass of “true believers”. Users attend this conference because it’s the passion. And there was no better way to stoke that passion when Jim Balding, the conference host and talk show wannabe, brought out the founders of Revit. That’s right – Irwin Jungreis and Leonid Raiz, from the original Charles River Software company.

This got me feeling my “Sheldon” coming on (I have the DNA of Leonard Nimoy, er Leonid Raiz), and after the excitement of hearing the history of the program, it was awesome to realize how close I had been to the beginnings of this product. My days started when my old employer, CADRE Systems, became a Revit reseller right when the acquisition took place. That’s where I met Richard Taylor and the others, in the old Waltham office.

I made sure I got their autograph on my badge, and also made sure to tell them both how big of an impact they’ve not only had on my life and career, but on countless thousands around the world. It’s not every day that you meet someone that helped create a paradigm change…and they’re about as down to earth as anyone can be. I had a few conversations with Leonid over the next couple of days, and he always seemed to be amazed at how much enthusiasm and respect people had for him, and his accomplishments.

Back to the conference…I got added as a last minute speaker, and presented a lab on Advanced Content Editing for Revit MEP Users…And More. We took a little time talking about nested families, and how to leverage parameters to get the families to behave the way you want. We also covered my favorite activity of late, converting content from Inventor, which I feel like I’m finally getting better at doing. The room was full, and had a lot of great feedback and conversations after the class. Thanks to all those folks that signed my coffee mug - you're the real stars in the real world!

And I actually got to go to some great classes. Aaron Mailer, who was in a similar boat to me, having to pick up someone else’s class, did a great job with Navisworks Optimization, which we want to use more frequently. Paul Aubin, the Revit maharishi, did a great job of covering Revit materials, which I put to use right away in our 2016 content. And sitting in on Don Bokmiller’s roundtable brought tout some great, open, and honest assessment of the state of content for Revit.

So here’s the takeaway – if you’re a Revit user, and can’t afford AU, save your money and go to RTC. The quality of the conference, the staff, presenters and the people that attend match and exceed AU quality. The comraderie and networking is priceless…and you can really learn a lot at the after party! 

Next year the North American conference is in Scottsdale, Arizona, July 14-16^th. Yep, it’s gonna be a hot one, in more ways than one. For more information, go to www.rtcevents.com.

Autodesk University 2015!

…is just a few months away, and RTC really got me stoked up for it. Sign up now at au.autodesk.com before it gets booked up!

This year, I’m presenting two classes:

ES10022 - How’s BIM Doing in Your Multioffice Pond? – on Thursday, December 3^rd at 8:00am PST, is about optimizing Revit workflows between offices and outside firms. The course overview is listed:

Building Information Modeling (BIM) represents a great deal more than switching from 2D CAD to 3D modeling. Face it; these tools and work processes can be complicated. Throw in multiple office locations, different design partners, and old work methods, and you can have a real mess on your hands. In this session we will take a look at how programs like Revit software disrupt these ponds, and how you can learn to gain efficiencies while you’re in it. We will start by explaining how a basic peer-to-peer type of environment could work, and the pros and cons of this system. Next, we will throw CAD into the mix, and we’ll cover lessons learned. Then we’ll review document management tools such as Vault software, and we will wrap up with a discussion about how the Autodesk 360 software applications can help. If you’re a business owner trying to make sense of all of this, or a designer just looking to get your work done, you need to join us for this fast-paced and sometimes downright funny way to learn how to manage your BIM projects.

Learning objectives

1. Learn basic worksharing methods and best practices for Revit projects in multiple office locations
2. Discover the lines where CAD and BIM are blurred, and how to avoid duplication of tasks with correct application of tools
3. Examine the next level of document and project management with Vault integration into Autodesk’s design applications
4. Learn where the cloud-based A360 software applications can benefit your multioffice projects

Since I’ve been playing a lot with the new Revit Collaboration tool for A360, as well as trying to ge tmor engaged with Vault, this course will cover the pros and cons of both, and will hopefully help you make the best decisions for you firm. We’re also going fishing in this class, complete with poles, a pond, and maybe a hook or two. Bring your waders, you may need them…

Next up:

IT11130 - Seamlessly Integrating CAD and BIM Standards for AEC Projects – Thursday, Dec. 3^rd at 1:00pm PST.

Session description:

If you listened to all the grand predictions a decade ago, you’d think the only thing we’d be doing is modeling everything in 3D. But that reality hasn’t come to pass. The CAD manager and Building Information Modeling (BIM) manager have to know how to get everything to play nice, capitalizing on the power of BIM tools while making sure the 2D work that’s still required is completed correctly. This course will take a look at key settings and work methods, beginning with a comparison of national CAD versus BIM standards. Next, we’ll examine tips for making CAD files such as templates work better in a BIM environment, and then move into sharing files both ways—correctly. The last item examines how to alter the CAD interface to follow BIM tasks, making it easier to move back and forth easily between the applications. Taking this information-packed course will help you maintain your 2D sanity while moving the Design Team forward with today’s 3D modeling tools—so sign up early and often.

Learning objectives

1. Compare National CAD Standards with National BIM Standards
2. Discover key setups for CAD and BIM templates for smooth sharing
3. Learn how to import and export guidelines for 2D and 3D files—both ways!
4. Learn how to alter the AutoCAD CUI to better emulate the BIM environment

Autodesk has changed the format for lectures into Industry Talk, which is what the first class covers, and instructional demos, which is what we do in this session. The difference is Powerpoint versus real world. I do both in both sessions, but the focus is stronger on the demo in this class. It’s the first IT based class I’ve taught at AU, and has filled up enough once that it’s already been moved to a larger venue.

Register soon, as the classes usually fill up the closer we get to the conference. The early bird registration period ends September 24^th, so save some money...and get in on next year's home movies! 

But even more important, we’re back at the Sands Convention Center at the fabulous Venetian/Palazzo Hotel and Casino, where the crowds and atmosphere are great. You won’t want to miss this event, it’ll be a doozy!

See you in Vegas!

AU 2014 is in the Can…Miscellaneous Thoughts…

Had a great time catching up with everyone, and meeting new people this year. Autodesk University (@autodesku) continues to grow and add value to the attendees, and it’s the best run event I attend every year. This was actually a light year from me from a teaching standpoint, but the feature class on Managing BIM Projects without Going CrAzY was a blast to teach this time. Even with a couple of minor technical hiccups on my part, the online portion seemed to go off without a hitch (with all 6 users watching…grin). It gives me good vibes about the Virtual events for the future, and I think these can easily be expanded…provided the conference location can handle the bandwidth. That was the only real hiccup this year – with so many online applications, and users pinging the AU app like mad, we did bring the whole network down at least once.

A couple of observations – the crowd varies from year to year, and while last year’s event seemed to have more entry level users, there was definitely a more forward thinking and sophisticated user mindset at this event. And Autodesk leaders, including CEO Carl Bass, and CTO Jeff Kowalski, played to the future visions of the users pretty well in the opening keynote.

One item that made me think a little harder was a comment made by Jeff, about how, at some point, our creations need to learn how to work more naturally (is that right?) towards each other, instead of being “dead” creations that symbolize a static point in time. He made his point by talking about how he wants his clothes washer to communicate with the dryer, and know when the wash is finished, so the dryer can pick up the task from there.

It’s a great idea to have this type of vision moving forward, but here’s where the “but” comes in. We, the users, can’t help Autodesk move this vision forward if they can’t get their current products to communicate, much less coordinate, with each other now. There’s a million examples, but the discussion came up in an Expert Elite luncheon on Thursday. One of the users asked Jeff when he could expect to see the same passion for the civil products that he was demonstrating in his explanation about 3D printing, and how computers can handle the tasks of designing structures and parts best.

At that point, I attempted to rephrase the question, by stating that you can’t get to appliances talking to each other if you can’t accomplish the goal of having a Revit pipe recognize and connect to a Civil 3D pipe on their own now. That’s where the technology is now, but it’s doesn’t work in the Autodesk product line.

Part of the problem is the wide variety of solutions Autodesk offers, and the fact that the different divisions within the company now, such as buildings, infrastructure, manufacturing, etc. are still very “silo” based. Here’s a simple example: Right now, in AutoCAD MEP, if you want to associate information from a light fixture to be associated with a space object, you simply add an anchor object. This creates the relationship between the parts, and allows you to link shared information between the parts.

In Revit, mechanical equipment can only recognize limited data that’s embedded into the programming – for example, the circuit name and number is automatically associated with the equipment, but that’s it. You can’t easily tie other electrical data – such as the section number that associated with an electrical circuit for a motor control center – back to the equipment. Other examples include horsepower, circuit ampacity or wiring in an associated conduit that’s connected to the equipment.

It’s not that Autodesk can’t develop, or even have that kind of programming available. It’s the fact that it’s not there is where the problem exists. And with the new Dynamo programming language available, we’re still a long ways off from having the tools we need to get to this level of optimization – whether it’s Autodesk, third party developers, or our own in-house personnel developing the code.

Almost every company I’ve worked for – including ours – still struggles with overcoming these silos, and being able to address the needs of their partners in design without having to take a lot of extra steps. But the fact that Autodesk recognizes the fact that these interconnecting relationships are key to their future is important. It’s just a matter of the company’s leadership to develop and push these goals back to the development teams.

And it’s not for want – Jeff’s key comment back to the crowd was that he was simply a visionist, who was on our side and pushed the same ideas back. At some point, you have to get the roadblocks out of the way, and get the communication and goals directly tied to each other – and develop the features in the products we need day in and day out, at the based product line level.

A360, BIM 360, Field 360, Simulation 360, and other cloud based products represent the cloud-based tools to help make the more complex communications possible. But Autodesk should not get too involved in the development of these present and future applications at the expense of their core product line.

In other words – don’t look past the sliding glass door so far that you break your nose trying to get out of it.

Back to AU – it was one of the best events I’ve been to with Autodesk in a while, and the opportunity to meet Carl and Jeff was definitely a high point (sorry, guys, if I drooled on your foot). But it was just as important to me to meet the people that came into my classes, and participated in the topics that I’m passionate about. It was great share that passion, and hopefully I could help them overcome some of their fears, discover relevance, and change their methods to get the message out (thank you, Mike Lee for those words and ideas – be the change!).

Next year – super excited about being back at the Venetian and Sands Convention Center, my favorite venue. The crowds will be large, and the people motivated – let’s see how far we can get in the next 50 weeks…

Merry Christmas!

David B.

ZZZZ....Ugh...Hello? Time to GET UP...for AU 2014!

It's back...and I'm back, after taking a hiatus from the blog. Been a busy summer, with our continuing migration into BIM and newer applications at Gannett Fleming. I've also been busy working as an author/content creator for 4D Technologies' CADLearning online training. In addition to updating AutoCAD MEP, P&ID and Plant 3D, we also updated Green Building Studio in time for this year's AU.

So this is one of my lightest years teaching, with two classes:

MP1573 Managing BIM Projects Without Going CrAzY is going to be broadcast live at AU Online this year, with a review of what you need to know on the front end of a BIM implementation, and then some tips on how to keep things moving after you're rolling. I'm actually going to demo some of the new Inventor BIM Exchange tools, in addition to showing some tips on sheets and views. We're also covering how Revit disrupts CAD tasks, and how to adapt to the change. It'll be a fun, so watch out for the crazy guy in the room. Look for it at au.autodesk.com/au-online/live-stream at 1:00 EST, Dec. 3rd.

MP6393 Fast Content for AutoCAD MEP covers some new features in 2015, including how to use an ADSK file in AutoCAD MEP to make an Multi-view part. We'll also cover the in-drawing conversion tool, how to make custom catalogs, and how to add 2D symbols to other planes in a part. This one's a fast one - we have 60 minutes to knock all this out, so it'll be hot, hot, hot in the room...

I'm also going to be meeting up with a lot of speakers and Autodesk folks, and am getting to take some cool classes finally. If you want to get certified for AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor or Civil 3D, the tests are free - but get there early, this is a really popular option.

So stay tuned, I've got some tips and tricks to post - see you in Vegas!

Summer's Up...Conference Time! Misc. Rambles...

The fall is upon us…man, where did summer go? And it didn’t even get hot here until this week…so much for local warming...

Speakin’ time…

I’m up to my ears and elbows the next few weeks. First up is a trip to ASHRAE’s IBPSA conference in Atlanta, GA. The conference runs from Sept. 9-12^th, and covers how BIM, analysis and simulation affects today’s engineering firms and designers. I got lucky and will be speaking at the conference on Wednesday, Sept. 10^th at 3:30. The session I’m doing is titled BIM Integration Best Practices for Today’s Engineering Firm. I’m covering these four topics:

•       Planning for and addressing staff issues for effective use of new technology, and preparing a training program

•       Reviewing current hardware/software assets, and how to choose between traditional local hardware configurations and cloud based services

•       Understanding the impact of BIM software on project schedules, standards, content and deliverables

•       Leveraging BIM projects, associated engineering data and content beyond the typical construction documentation deliverables

All of these came about as we moved into the more advanced stages of our implementation of Revit. In some areas, we’re exceeding expectations while others we seem to be falling off. The idea is to help users address these issues to keep a firm from losing momentum, when it comes to the culture changes and shock that accompany a BIM project.

While focus is on BIM in regards to using it for simulation, analysis and more, the content can be relative to all users. I’ll get the powerpoint available as soon as possible – since it’s an ASHRAE conference, you want see anything specific to reference Revit, AutoCAD MEP or anything else we use, but the points are still applicable.

Vegas Baby!

AU 2014 at Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas, Baby! It’s coming fast, and this year marks more than a decade for me. The load is light, unfortunately, for what may be one of my last AU conferences as a speaker. I’ve loved doing these, but the direction and content is getting spread a little thin. I’m not mad at Autodesk for it – it’s tough to press 175 applications into 700 plus classes in 3 days, so I don’t envy the schedule. The only issue I would have is the reduction in “tips and tricks” classes and labs that can really push the user to the next level, in favor of the more “firm oriented” classes that showcase specific projects. It’s almost like we need to break AU up into two conferences now, since it’s gotten so big. I’m looking to present at other conferences in addition to AU with a lighter load if possible, so let’s see what happens this year.

But don’t think for a minute it’s not worth going – in fact, only having two classes this year is giving me a chance to spend some time with other instructors, something I haven’t been able to do much of. I’ve signed up for a lot of classes this year, and am also planning on renewing my Revit certification as well. Here’s my classes, in case you haven’t signed up yet:

MP5173 - Managing BIM Projects Without Going CRAZY

This course (which is being recorded LIVE and will be broadcast as a part of AU Virtual) covers effective practices for project managers, engineers, and designers working on Building Information Modeling (BIM) projects for heating, ventilating, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, water/wastewater, and other engineering practices. Learn how BIM and Revit software alter the traditional design workflows and processes, and discover how to manage the disruptive changes. The course will cover pre-project planning, dealing with project components and content and understanding what tools can really help the project bottom line. We will also cover where Revit software alters typical project tasks. The course is well suited for the first-time manager and experienced user. If you're ready for an energetic, fast-paced class that packs in a lot of information, then sign up early and often.

MP6393 - Fast Content for AutoCAD MEP 2015

AutoCAD MEP 2015 software, a world-class design and drafting application, is the Zen master of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design software. The software continues to lead the way in everything from design to fabrication to owner for excellent workflows. In this fast-paced hands-on lab we will take a look at creating custom content. We will start by using Inventor software to create a more detailed model. Next, we will use this model to create a new multiview part. Once the part is defined you will learn a quick way to use the new symbol and annotation planes to add line-based symbols, and then you’ll create a new catalog to store your custom content. Every AutoCAD MEP software user should learn how to use the overwhelming volume of manufacturer’s 3D content; this lab will help you learn how to do that.

So, no labs this year – but that makes it easy for me…tell you what, I’ll have some other stuff available for the masses as well – if you can track me down this year, tell me you want the “good stuff – the really, really good stuff”…and I promise I won’t send you outside to the street hawkers! Bring your own USB key, that’ll be the only way to get it…sign up at au.autodesk.com, the early registration period ends soon!

Coming soon…

If you didn’t know this, I’ve been working in my off-time as an author for 4D Technologies’ CADLearning series, which provides online training videos for Autodesk products. My sessions for AutoCAD MEP 2015 and AutoCAD P&ID 2015 are already finished, and I’m working hard on AutoCAD Plant 3D 2015 right now, with lots of new stuff included. I had a lot of people ask about the Plant 3D series last year at AU, so check it out – you can find all kinds of cool stuff at www.cadlearning.com. Check it out, and let me know what you think!

Happy modeling! DB

Post #200 - A milestone, and review of AU 2013

First up, thanks to all the folks who've followed along. With close to 200,000 hits and 200 posts since we started, it's been an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to share ideas and opinions. Thanks for following along, and here's to 200 more...

AU 2013 – Ten Years in the Can…

And a great time was had by all. Thank you, good night!

It was definitely an interesting year, starting with the infrastructure symposium and keynote address, right down to the labs and lectures this year. Back at the Sands Convention Center (the Venetian by far is my favorite venue), about 9600 of my colleagues made the trek to the desert. The big focus continues to be on the cloud by Autodesk, but long terms apps also got a lot of attention.

First up, my take on the cloud services. While some concepts (such as running Revit or AutoCAD on a cloud machine as opposed to a local hard drive) are ones I’m keenly interested in, I’m not convinced the security of stored files and projects is where we need it to be. Since many firms like ours are still doing a lot of high security work, we need to work on a better way to wrap our firewall around Amazon’s servers (who Autodesk uses as their cloud source). We had some good conversations on this, but newer tools such as Simulation CFD are infinitely more productive in the cloud than on my laptop. I think we’re getting closer, and as we move into 2014, I’m sure we’ll be giving this a much harder look. If the costs work out better than upgrading systems every three years, then it’s definitely a strong selling point.

One item I covered I was surprised more people didn't know about was Inventor 2014's ability to convert equipment models to RFA/ADSK files for easy use in Revit. I covered this in both of my Revit lectures (MP1304 and MP1507), so download these handouts. I also included a sample template and IFC conversion file for AutoCAD MEP to Revit MEP, so download these early and often. Thanks to the Pleasant Hills Water Authority and Mon Valley authority for letting me use their projects as great examples of our work.

Next, the crowd part. It was interesting to see how many first timers there were this year. In my lab on AutoCAD MEP, as well as one I assisted in for Matt Dillon, the overwhelming majority were new users to the software. Concepts such as Project Navigator were some of the items they weren’t familiar with, so covering “out of the norm” methods and features can easily get lost. I think next year will be a good time to bring back some quick start labs for this level of user, holding these labs early in the event, and holding the intermediate/advanced topics on the later days.

Speaking of labs, we definitely needed to improve on this year’s methods. Missing datasets, unzipped files…all are usually conquerable if the instructor is aware they need to touch every system prior to the class. After checking a couple of systems, I made the assumption the rest were OK, but that was far from the truth. Scratch one up to losing my diligence – that won’t happen again next year. I recommended that the instructor desktop Autodesk provides serve as a lab backup just in case, with the datasets shared from that box. If there’s an issue, it’s easy for the assistants to overwrite the local files and catch everyone up. If files are missing or need to be added, it’s much faster to use the share drive than running around with a bunch of USB keys.

There were definitely a lot of good classes this year – on families, large projects, and newer tools. While I understand the desire to have a greater quantity of classes, shortening the afternoon sessions to 60 minutes left too little time. I think it’s viable to go back to the 3 ½ or 4 day event, and offer sequential courses to help the users learn from beginning to end how a program is supposed to work – even if it’s from a 5k foot view.

Next year, we’re back at Mandalay Bay from Dec. 2-4^th, along with several overseas events. Hopefully we can take some lessons learned and continue to make AU one of the signature events in the world that everyone wants to attend.

And for all my peeps that came to my classes and lab this year, thanks! It was great fun, and I’m looking forward to sharing more secrets (and crazy gifts) next year.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

 

 

Moving Ahead...and Counting Down

With AU starting in just a couple of weeks, it's time to do a little housekeeping, and get some updates out there...

AU Class Updates!
For AU 2013, good news on the attendance front. So far, about 200 people have signed up for each lecture, and the AutoCAD MEP lab is full. It's cool to see the high interest level in AutoCAD MEP. During our Tweetchat last week, Dana Probert from Autodesk asked the question about advice for users migrating from AutoCAD MEP to Revit. My answer is to learn how to use as much of AutoCAD MEP's object tools as possible, since they're both similar from a work process standpoint. IFC conversions up from AutoCAD MEP to Revit are fairly smooth, given that you won't get systems like you do with default Revit elements. But the software is getting better in terms of translation.

Data? What Data?
Speaking of translation, I did some internal training on exporting and sharing data from AutoCAD MEP schematic objects out to Excel, CSV and now database tables. One of the items I've been looking into is linking property set definition data to different databases or files for power riser and plumbing isometric objects, to actual Revit engineering objects. Our development team has been working on different data validation tools between AutoCAD P&ID and Revit for a while (I'll be covering this in my MP1304 AU class Wednesday, Dec. 4th - which will also be recorded live, and available via AU Virtual after the event this year). The programming process really isn't that different. The challenge is how to be selective with the data you want to extract, and then how you tell the different databases to compare data.

It's amazing how many different tools are available to check and coordinate physical objects and their interferences, but how little thought over the years has been put into the data coordination (in the lower cost CAD/everyday design arena), from the building design standpoint. Which rolls me back to my Autodesk vs. Bentley topic line I've been working on (more on this later), but one big thing I was interested in was how Substation handled managing the data between the protection and controls diagrams, to single lines, to panel layouts and then the 3D model. I'd love to report more on that, but we had an issue getting Projectwise to work with Substation that delayed our implementation over a month. To their credit, Bentley did get it fixed, but it was tough to watch the issue hold up momentum Quality control should be handled much better by software companies - it can be the simplest thing (i.e. telling a program how to create a folder and get it working with other applications) that gets missed, and gives you a black eye. It's as important as missing a design flaw, that causes something in one of our systems, not to work correctly. And boy when something doesn't work, it's hard to get users to keep from throwing the whole baby out with the bath...luckily, cooler heads prevailed...I'm looking forward to learning what Autodesk could be doing about this in the future.

Back to AU...
Here's a little something I'm working on. In this year's Revit tips and tricks class (MP1507), I'm going to add a golden nuggets segment at the very end of the class - stuff you won't find in the handout but will have to show up to see. One item I'm going to cover is how to get Revit to perform at optimal levels when using Projectwise. We were getting major slowdowns, that turns out were related to how the Projectwise Integration tool was working with Revit 2013, Update 2 (note: it doesn't work with Update 3, which we also found out Revit 2014 doesn't work without it being installed, if you're running 2013 and 2014 on the same computer, due to .NET 4.5 - that was a mouthful). Bentley recommended double-clicking on the Central file straight out of Projectwise Explorer, with integration enabled. Create a new local when prompted every time, and the Revit model runs much faster, and eliminates command delays. I also turn OFF all notifications for sharing, updates, permissions...that really threw our users for a loop.

Another tip is related to annotation families. I've started using more reference lines and dimensions to control the size of annotations. This helps the user when the box around a label needs to get a little bigger. We add a label parameter to the dimension, so the user can change this on an instance basis, once the tag is placed in the view.

We've also been dancing around the schematic symbol versus real world model issue with particular types of families. One big tip is to add a visibility parameter for symbol graphics versus model graphics - and not relying on the detail level or scale of the model to control visibility. This one is a work in progress that I hope to have finished in the next couple of days. If you're planning on coming to this class on Thursday, Dec. 5th, make sure you plan on staying for the whole thing - these little secrets are gems that we look for all the time, and I plan on making everyone suffer through the rest of the class first (BWAahahahaha!)...

Speaking of predesign...Infraworks!
We had a great visit from some Autodesk folks a short while ago, and got a first look at Infraworks (www.autodesk.com/products/autodesk-infraworks/overview). We've needed a tool that allows us to take an existing site, and work with schematic locations for some of our water treatment facilities. This tool was easy to use, and could go a long way towards helping do a better job of defining hydraulic profiles for sites. For more information on these, check out sessions GS 2644 - Beyond 3D in Autodesk Infraworks: Simulate What Happens in Real World Models, and GS1998 - Autodesk Infraworks: From Concept to Completion. This is one of those promising tools that I hope to post more about...soon...

It's time to wrap it up...still got some videos to record, powerpoints to figure out, and pre-class skits and scripts to hammer out. Dr. Shots will be making a comeback...albeit a brief one, with tragic consequences...so I'll see you in two weeks...

Later - David B.