It is a pity that you consider learning th tools of the trade to be absurd. I imagine you are also opposed to learning the use of other new tools, such as smart phones, GPS direction finders, and other such devices that make our lives easier.
I submit that every hour spent learning the time saving features of software brings back hundreds of hours of productivity. For example, I was the first in a large firm to learn Autodesk Desktop 1.0, and on my own time. When I had the opportunity, I committed to use Desktop exclusively on a new project involving retrofitting an existing building for a new process. I estimated the hours for the project by using historical data from similar projects with the same client. Using this method I had never exceeded my budgets, but I usually ended with an excess of about 0% to 7%.
So, on this new project, I had to complete my training on the software, and I had to train a new employee, as well. The project ran its natural course of changes and modifcations, and at the end of the project I had 30% of my hours remaining.
As the software has progressed, the time savings have increased. Projects that once would have required a lead architect, two assistant architects, four designers and eight drafters can now be completed more accurately and more quickly with two people. All of that time savings is due to software and its incumbent training.
I don't care what you believe about keeping up with software and the training involved, you just can't argue with hard facts.
I also have a hunch about subscription services with CAD vendors. Akin to other industries, where everyone expects a new and improved product every year, users have come to expect a new CAD revision every year. To illustrate the point I will use another personal experience. This project involved new production methods for making a variety of dry laundry detergents. The process was installed in six plants in North America, and immediately allowed the manufacturer to produce a wholly new design of dry laundry detergent. However, the marketing group determined that a great deal of marketing favor could be taken by incrementally introducing the new process. So, instead having a whole new product in one fell swoop, the manufacturer could introduce a legal "new and improved" product every year for three years without changing out any process equipment.
Likewise, the CAD producers have the incentive to make incremental improvements to their products without investing a great deal of effort from year to year. The user, though. also benefits from this by having less to learn every year.
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Charles Graham AIA
Architect
O'Neal, Inc.
Greenville SC
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-23-2012 11:57
From: Rich Farris
Subject: software
The pendulum seems to swing back and forth between complexity and simplicity. Seems like the past several years has seen a huge move toward complexity. For 10 or 20 years I had to spend very little time learning about software. Cad was going the way of the word processor, becoming virtually invisible. And then suddenly the training needs escalated to rather absurd levels. Entire firms were having to retrain their staff. Sometimes I felt like I was spending more time learning technology than doing architecture. Now firms are flying employees to Autodesk University each year just to keep up. That's a wonderful deal for Autodesk. I don't know if that is really translating to more money for architects. I have my doubts.
Having worked on 200mb and 400mb models, the amount of work it takes to maintain huge models among multiple consultants is a full time job. Template maintenance requires incredible discipline. Staff has to be divided up to watch things like a hawk because screw ups to the model can create a mess beyond your imagination. Save times and start ups have regressed back to levels I have not seen since the 1980's. Certain kinds of modifications to a complex model can cause random items to disappear. The bigger the model, the harder it is to make major adjustments without losing your mind. But people keep telling me this is progress. Large teams have to basically spend weeks planning out the model strategy in advance of every starting work, otherwise, pain will come from unpredictable directions.
To be honest, one of my favorite features of Revit is it's 2d capability. Nobody ever touts that, but I find Revit to be very fast and powerful in 2d. But if I had to work alone, I think I would probably prefer SketchUp, or something similar. It's cheap. Easy to learn. And getting more powerful each year, without baggage. This is exactly how ACAD won the market in the 1990's, by staying out of the way, and trying to help. Revit doesn't stay out of your way. It imposes itself on your entire world. I think I would like it better if the model were in a cloud, where all consultants could work on the same model at the same time. But affordable options for that don't seem to be quite ready yet. Sharing models today between consultants is a real pain in the . . . . . Autoarse.
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Rich Farris, AIA
Author of "Principles of Creativity, Architecture's Insight to Invention" (Amazon)
Dallas, Texas
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-23-2012 11:08
From: Jerry Berggren
Subject: software
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Jerry Berggren AIA
Berggren Architects
Lincoln NE
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I find this discussion very fascinating. We are an 8 person firm which has operates with the latest version of DataCAD - Ever hear of it? To my knowledge we're possibly the only firm not located on one of the coasts to use this software. We've had it since we first removed our Maylines and pin bars.
Our younger staff are lobbying for Revit and in my heart I know the day will come when we have at least one Revit station, but we are still able to design and have built quality buildings with our present software. I attribute that to our education! No matter how intelligent your software is - it is not the Architect! True in the old days we had to use our heads more to imagine those designs and bring them into reality, but then like now, it's because we are Architects.
I'm sure your debate will continue for sometime, just as the debate lasted for some time back in the 1960's or 70's when Frank Gehry once stated his concern that Xerox copies of architectural details would prevent that generation of Architects from learning just why we create details in the first place.
Please continue to enjoy this debate - I will
Original Message:
Sent: 02-22-2012 21:31
From: Charles Graham
Subject: software
I agree with your points, especially the points about knowing the building better. Being able to work on a virtual model of the building completely outstrips anything in the "flat earth" world.
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Charles Graham AIA
Architect
O'Neal, Inc.
Greenville SC
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2012 06:07
From: Gordon McKenzie
Subject: software
Rich,
I have couple points to agree with you there, and number of them to disagree on. And I'm local to you to boot. I myself have embraced the BIM world. I used to work for a local medium size Dallas firm that was 100% Revit. Before that they were all 2D Microstation. When I started my own company money was an issue but I bit the bullet and purchased a single license of Revit and have never looked back. I'll take 3D compiled data over 2D dumb data any day. I still use the software as a tool just like I always have.
I also teach Revit to people. Both students and professionals. I've found the ones that "have been trained" to use the software are not trained to utilize it, but trained to operate the mechanics of it. Big disconnect between the two.
One of my clients is a sole practitioner (mainly residential) who has held 2 seats of Revit for years. No IT department, no clients with large pockets (mostly). The 2 seats of Revit in his office run on some fairly old single processor single core systems with no major issues. Sure a new computer would be nice, but that is also a major misconception. A good desktop from one of the online retailers will run you under a grand and be more than enough power to run BIM software beautifully. Personally I run mine off a laptop I purchased in 2007.
You wrote: "The knowledge of the architect is more important than the skill of the software." To challenge you I would say the knowledge of the architect is more important with the skill of the software than without it.
One of the great challenges of getting into the BIM world is knowing your buildings better than you already think you do. A powerful 3D BIM software removes the "well we'll just figure it out in the field". The benefit is on the architect and being able to tell a contractor your intent with much more accuracy than before. It forces the designer or architect to know how parts of a building go together. Two parallel lines in a sea of black screen tells me nothing about your knowledge of what goes into that wall. All those facts that a contractor has to deal with are thought up by you in the first place. Why not have the facts straight while designing?
Also if you're in the complete design creativity mode, many of the BIM software packages including Revit allow you to design with "dumb" masses and "dumb" generic walls, floors, roofs, etc. I'll take those dumb masses and walls in the name of creativity any day as well.
I know the cost of software is a hard pill to swallow. If you notice many of the software developers have been offering discounts on last years products right before the new ones come out. You can buy almost every AEC software package Autodesk makes including Revit, Navisworks, AutoCAD, Max, etc., all together for under thirty five hundred now before the 2013 packages come out.
I'm sorry you missed the BIM CES session back on the 2/17 at the DCFA. There will be others in the future. Or let me come by your office for a little while and I might be able to show you how the benefits outweigh the negatives.
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Gordon McKenzie Assoc. AIA
Tartan CAD Services
Lewisville TX
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