2011 Book Recommendations?

[brent.130528]

When I started learning Revit 2010 I went cover-to-cover though Revit Architecture 2010 No Exerience Required by Eric Wing. Aside from some errors that clearly indicated the editor did not know east from west, I thought it was an excellent book. We also have a copy of Mastering Revit Architecture 2010 by Paul Aubin that our intern has been going through that appears to have good information as well. Does anyone have a recommendation for a book for 2011 that is at least as good as these two that my business partner could read to help him get up-to-speed with the two of us as well as be a good resource for 2011 enhancements?

[cliff collins]

This looks like a good one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470626968/ref=kinw_rke_tl_1

cheers

[barrie.sharp]

This looks like a good one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470626968/ref=kinw_rke_tl_1

cheers
I've read the 2010 version cover to cover (just finished in fact) and it has helped. I've been on the forums, reading blogs and trawling the help file so I happended to have come across most things by the time I got to them in the book but it does make sure that you don't miss anything. I've learned all sorts of advanced stuff and only just found out about 'show hidden lines' towards the end of the book which is an awesome tool! I wish that I spent more time on the book before exhausting other resources because most of the basics are there!

However, I'm still a Revit novice because I think that true value comes from experience and one on one communication. I just about know every tool there is but I'll only understand them through practice.

I would like some book recommendations on how buildings are put together. I get stuck in Revit most because I don't know how things go together. I can draw walls and floors but don't always know where to draw them.

[Dave Jones]

I have that book for 2010 and can say that, as a Revit beginner the book is not for beginners. It covers stuff that someone who has used Revit for awhile would understand but if you're just getting your feet on the ground some of the content is hard to follow.

[samov]

Stop reading and start working/using it.


You don't see people reading books on how to ride bikes.
There is just "so much" you can learn from books, and by "so much" i mean little practical information.

A book might help you get started as it will show you what the software can do, and when you hit a dead end you'll be able to at least point in the right direction. By no means will it teach you anything... practical.


When I started learning Revit 2010 I went cover-to-cover though Revit Architecture 2010 No Exerience Required by Eric Wing. Aside from some errors that clearly indicated the editor did not know east from west, I thought it was an excellent book. We also have a copy of Mastering Revit Architecture 2010 by Paul Aubin that our intern has been going through that appears to have good information as well. Does anyone have a recommendation for a book for 2011 that is at least as good as these two that my business partner could read to help him get up-to-speed with the two of us as well as be a good resource for 2011 enhancements?

[Mike Sealander]

It sure would be nice for someone to write (and maintain) a definitive guide to using Revit in architecture. Maybe there should be a wiki.
When I started using Revit, I read the help files, and also picked up a book on Revit. But it really comes down to using the program when your back is against the wall.

[Dave Jones]

It sure would be nice for someone to write (and maintain) a definitive guide to using Revit in architecture. Maybe there should be a wiki.
When I started using Revit, I read the help files, and also picked up a book on Revit. But it really comes down to using the program when your back is against the wall.

IMO, definitive guide and Revit shouldn't be in the same sentence. Revit is at best a moving target and the release schedule is to short to have anyone be able to ever get a handle on a definitive guide to the latest version. Trying to keep up is more like it :)

As someone else posted above, ya don't need no stinkin' book, just get into the program and start using it. That said, proper training by an expert doesn't hurt much...

[barrie.sharp]

Stop reading and start working/using it.

You don't see people reading books on how to ride bikes.
There is just "so much" you can learn from books, and by "so much" i mean little practical information.

A book might help you get started as it will show you what the software can do, and when you hit a dead end you'll be able to at least point in the right direction. By no means will it teach you anything... practical.
It would be naive to believe that reading alone could exhaustively enrich your understanding of any given subject. Reading can keep you on track and direct your experience making efficient use of your time and can steer you away from gaining bad habbits.

You're right, I don't see people reading books on how to ride bikes. What I do see is alot of dangerous riders who should have read books! :)

All things in equal measure can be a good thing. I would still recommend this book but rightly said, don't rely on it. Read and play, then you'll be fine!

You can stop reading now ;)

[Scott Womack]

I would like some book recommendations on how buildings are put together. I get stuck in Revit most because I don't know how things go together. I can draw walls and floors but don't always know where to draw them.

There are books by Ching, Architectural Graphic Standards, etc. Another source would be to go to a University bookstore where the University is providing a degree in Architecture.

My two cents worth....
During my past 6 to 7 years in Revit, my ability as an Architect has certainly helped. Originally, my first project in Revit (a renovation project) was done without ANY training what so ever. This is in my own opinion the best way to learn a piece of complicated software. This is definitely a sink or swim type situation, although some people are not really wired for this scenario.

That said, training will shorten the learning cycle substantially, if you can find a trainer more advanced that yourself.

IMHO the best source of information is AUGI's forums, and Autodesk University. After 15 of these, I still consistently learn new things, and the indiviuals I've met there do become the best resource of all.

[eric.piotrowicz]

My experience has me agreeing with the "just do it" crowd. I was part of a small group that had the fortune of being asked to learn Revit for the company and we were given our own office and no immediate dealines, just get in and learn. So we all starting diving into various areas and sharing what we were finding, good/bad/other. We were able to bring in a trainer for two weeks after we had been digging around for two weeks. Phil Read is the MAN!! Although we threw him for a loop since he was expecting a group who hadn't used the software at all. He ended up zipping thru the general training program in about two days and from there we were tackling much more complex tasks and find work arounds for things that Revit didn't do or like. As Scott said, training is good if you can find somebody who know more than you. We were very fortunate to have such a great trainer and the chance to take full advantage of his knowledge.
That was roughly eight years ago but Thanks again Phil :beer:

fyi, I'm not sure if he still does training, I know he has moved on to new gigs since then.

[donnyvz]

To get this thread back on track...
I have ordered Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 and Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011: No Experience Required.
Already purchased Introducing Revit Architecture 2010 (only Revit book in stock at the store).
I'll let you know what I think of them next week.

[iru69]

There's now "Introducing Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011". Steve Stafford is a contributor! I know it's available at Amazon. Also Kindle and iBook editions. That would be pretty cool on an iPad, but not so great if you wanted to loan it to a coworker.

[STHRevit]

The Paul Aubin book is good (although I did pick up an error in it today)
You can access on line training material so you can work through the material and learn by doing. That said, I agree with the "just do it" philosophy. Nothing like a client letting you know something doesn't look right. You will certainly find a way to fix it and you will learn quickly. Books are good to refresh knowledge though.

[twiceroadsfool]

It sure would be nice for someone to write (and maintain) a definitive guide to using Revit in architecture. Maybe there should be a wiki.


We have just that, in our office, on the Network. Works wonders for training.

[iru69]

Curious what wiki software you're using?

We have just that, in our office, on the Network. Works wonders for training.

[twiceroadsfool]

Our intranet is just a Sharepoint site, and the Wiki's are just a bunch of pages inside a Part on the sharepoint portal. Its very low tech, but for the Revit users it reads very much like a Powerpoint, with Navigation Buttons.

But they can search it by training class, or by what theyre trying to do, and get to the same pages.

[iru69]

Thanks for the info - hadn't thought of using it that way. I admin sharepoint (SBS 2008), but it's a challenge to find the time. But that looks like it could work great!

[twiceroadsfool]

I dont admin squat. LOL. Im not a Sharepoint master at ALL, hehe. But, they had an "Architectural Wiki" for our Drawing Standards, on our Sharepoint Portal, which is our "home page."

I asked the SP guy how hard it is to make a "wiki" and he said it was ten minutes for him to set it up. So he gave me a link off the portal to the "Revit Wiki Home page," with its own directory of pages, and a File Store. And then i just started making pages, and pasting stuff.

The training documents are great, because they cover "revit" and then "revit at our office." They also link to our content libraries, our standards, how we work with consultants, etc.

And we have a Training Curriculum that it follows. Building a Model is a two day course. Documenting a Model is a two day course. Then there is a "Revit for Estimating and Construction" one day course, and we have a few half day courses set up too... "Building custom parametric content," "rendering in Revit," "Design Review," etc.

The guys on the Construction and Estimating side teach all of the non-Revit apps. :) But Revit is the first one with the wiki training guide. It just makes sense. Now, if they miss part of the class, everything is accessible. If Revit changes a portion of the UI, all the images are NOT in the file store, theyre in a directory on our network. i recapture the image, and replace it in the directory. Done. Someone emails me asking how to use a Scope Box, i point them to the correct page. Im loving it so far.

If i knew more about web pages and sharepoint, id make the navigation more slick. Its a little ghetto right now.