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Thread: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

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    Certifiable AUGI Addict tedg's Avatar
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    Thumbs up Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    Hey everyone....
    We're an A/E firm with 100+ people. We have Architects, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical and Civil Engineers as well as a Survey crew, Construction managers, Estimators (etc). We currently use 2d AutoCAD (with a little bit of 3-d, but not much). We have allot of different versions of ADT (but don't really use the ADT) like from 2005 to 2008.

    Our company is strongly considering biting the bullet and getting into Revit: Architecture, Structure & M/E/P.

    I've heard and seen allot of great things about Revit, what kinds of issues will we see when making the switch?

    What things should we do to prepare?
    What things should we NOT do?

    A small key group of us is expected to get the training and software and work on a project. We would then be implementing it for most if not all projects.

    I expect that we will still be using some AutoCAD.

    Any insight from those who have experience on this issue would help.

    Thanks

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    Default Re: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    Three tips that you might want to consider:

    You should see the ACAD to Revit switch as an evolution and not a revolution.

    The ideal is to start with a pilot project that's is at the same easy (straight forward) and with no deadlines, so you can actually focus on the implementation.

    Pick the right team: On the path to switch from ACAD to Revit you will find people that don't want learn Revit and these will be very negative toward the change. Pick the ones that are excited about the change. Don't forget that being very god with ACAD doesn't necessarily means being good with Revit because most likely you will have to forget most of what you know from ACAD when using Revit.

    Best regards,

    Andre Carvalho

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    Certifiable AUGI Addict tedg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    Quote Originally Posted by Andre Carvalho View Post
    Three tips that you might want to consider:

    You should see the ACAD to Revit switch as an evolution and not a revolution.

    The ideal is to start with a pilot project that's is at the same easy (straight forward) and with no deadlines, so you can actually focus on the implementation.

    Pick the right team: On the path to switch from ACAD to Revit you will find people that don't want learn Revit and these will be very negative toward the change. Pick the ones that are excited about the change. Don't forget that being very god with ACAD doesn't necessarily means being good with Revit because most likely you will have to forget most of what you know from ACAD when using Revit.

    Best regards,

    Andre Carvalho
    Thanks for the tips.
    We have two out of three covered:
    1. We are seeing it as an "Evolution" (most of us see it for the improvement it is)
    2. We have a good group of people excited to jump on and move forward.
    3. We have a project we're already working on (with deadlines) with a consulting firm, that is already doing their part in Revit, (as well as one of our designers working with them in Revit).
    I actually can't wait, even though I'm a very strong AutoCAD user, to see the company I work for make the commitment to "evolve" .

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    Revit Mararishi aaronrumple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    ...and read and memorize everything writtent about Revit at AUGI.

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    Default Re: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    Quote Originally Posted by aaronrumple View Post
    ...and read and memorize everything writtent about Revit at AUGI.
    Excellent point, Aaron!

    Ted, encourage your group to visit the AUGI forum regularly to look for answers, best practices, share theirs discoveries, etc. I can tell you that's the best "teacher" they can have (and better than all, it's free!)

    Andre Carvalho

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    Certified AUGI Addict patricks's Avatar
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    Default Re: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    Not sure if this helps, but it seems to me that the people who are best at Revit can both visualize in 3D quite well, and those who don't have as much experience in AutoCAD. The more you've used CAD, the harder it is to pick up on Revit, and probably vice versa (I am very bad and slow when it comes to working in CAD).

    *edit woohoo 3000th post!

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    Default Re: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    Training and planning, you need your front runners to be very competent in revit before you role it across the board. Standards, procedures all these should be decided and put down before the rest of your guys get on board (ofcourse there will be refinement, but overall approaches to projects should be down). You will find there will be alot of supporting your team when they get on board and so planning for that should be included.

    Your first project should cover alot of what you normally do so you can get a template and the basics out of that. Regular meetings with your Revit Pilot team on issues, and problems should be written down and answers should be chased, we did this on a white board and we had to have 2 for a while while we found whether things would work.

    One person should be in charge of the overall of Revit, with clear views on all products you use and atleast some basic intermediate knowledge on how they work in order to form better decisions on the overall workflow, with your company you need to think on a big scale not just program specific, but how to get them all to talk together and best working practices to fix current issues.

    You should also plan to change your workflow as you fine that you will not need as many people on teams at a time, putting 5 guys on your first Revit Architecture project will cause all sorts of issues.
    Even in your Case I would still keep 3 seperate Revit models for each discipline, people disagree with this, but I think if you the design options from the engineering packages then you need to. Also to keep overall file sizes down.
    Whoever your receiving training from also get some decent outlines in terms of planning and role out development for your company. Best practices, what has worked, how others do things all this is valuable information which can you pick the best of and discard the rest.

    Lastly document everything relevant, anything useful even if it's printing things from AUGI.
    Set up a wiki, or an area where users can look for information.

    The biggest hurdle is the templates and the workflow, using revit is easy making it work for your company and there standards is what everyone gets excited about.

    Be prepared to throw away or concede on certain existing CAD standards, Arguments can erupt but it's simple, your not using CAD anymore so why should it be shown in a CAD way, exploring what you can do opens up more then what you can't. Some things you just can't do accept it, then come here and add it to the wishlist and hope Autodesk listen

    Lastly and it was said above, your CAD manager may not be the best person to take on this role, some companies have put their CAD managers into this position and it can cause chaos especially if they feel threatened by the software. Hence the option of BIM manager that way politics can stay stable,I've seen this happen in large companies and it causes major programs to implementing revit into the workplace.

    Goodluck.

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    Certifiable AUGI Addict tedg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    Quote Originally Posted by patricks View Post
    ...
    *edit woohoo 3000th post!
    Congrats

    Thanks everyone for the info.
    It will definitely help with the transition.

    I'll keep you posted.

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    Member mwenta's Avatar
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    Thumbs up Re: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    I agree with all of the above statements, the only thing that I woud add is to have a working template ready as well. I didn't say a completed template, just a working template with some of your standards and titleblocks loaded. This will at least ease the transition. You will find that your template will be a work in progress for awhile but once you have it nailed people will transition much easier. I set our template up so that users really only have to think about drafting and not spend so much time concerned with finding standards and setting up sheets. Just my two cents worth, the biggest thing is attitude and it sounds like you are on the right path. If I can help in any way I would be more than happy.

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    Certifiable AUGI Addict tedg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Problems with Switching to Revit from AutoCAD?

    Quote Originally Posted by patricks View Post
    Not sure if this helps, but it seems to me that the people who are best at Revit can both visualize in 3D quite well,
    This was brought up, some of the junior drafters we have may be good on the computer, but can they visualize in 3-D and know how a building is put together? That may be a struggle.


    Quote Originally Posted by mwenta View Post
    I agree with all of the above statements, the only thing that I woud add is to have a working template ready as well. I didn't say a completed template, just a working template with some of your standards and titleblocks loaded. This will at least ease the transition. You will find that your template will be a work in progress for awhile but once you have it nailed people will transition much easier. I set our template up so that users really only have to think about drafting and not spend so much time concerned with finding standards and setting up sheets. Just my two cents worth, the biggest thing is attitude and it sounds like you are on the right path. If I can help in any way I would be more than happy.
    Thanks, This was brought up as well, we're hoping to have templates in place before unleashing it to the whole company. It should help with making people follow the standards better. From what I understand, there's not allot of leeway in Revit for people to make up their own ****.

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