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Quest for Hidden Efficiencies

How can we capture a few percentage points of efficiency, time, and money?

Lots of ways! Today, let’s chat naming organizations.

In our ongoing professional growth, we have already begun to model with NO WARNINGS, right? If not, you are failing AEC and yourselves, friends and families… no joke… that said (and back to a place for more potential efficiency and effectiveness) let’s get “organizized” :)

One of the myriad documents to track and manage I suggest creating is a nice list of all families used (and appropriate to use) in a project (See Figures 1 and 2). These documents are shared and read and ACTUALLY LEARNED!

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the document in question… a list is included at the end of this article as well.

I wish to lead you down a path to being (or becoming) an autodidact of sorts. Notice the naming convention… you might notice the word “Tag” in front of the item’s tag name. Why? A remnant to get all annotations (possible) to organize in groups. The numbering system was a later inclusion to further organize (and standardize to a limited degree).

Create naming conventions for everything you use on any regular basis—any outside components brought in subsequently (families, materials, etc.) will be found out quite quickly, as they will organize at the end of the browser sections. Then they can be validated for use or replacement.

Using such content rigor in the naming (and use of tested and validated content) will serve every project well and will allow further programmatic enhancements from the likes of Dynamo, and others. Below is a list for inspiration for Annotation Categories. Do a bit of industry standards research (NBIMS, etc.), devise a rigorous naming and organization set of processes, and you will find that projects run smoother and allow more actual architecture to be done, rather than fighting lost, duplicate, and incorrect content.

ANNOTATION CATEGORIES

Shakespeare may not mind what a rose is called, but Revit®, Dynamo, The Client, etc. all do and we all should (in BIM at least;)

Jay B. Zallan brings wide-ranging Design, Delivery, Management, Mentoring and Teaching experiences to the readily changing AECO industries, founded on an expansive 35 plus year  career. Jay has focused on VDC planning, production, process development and research & development; to help enable efficiency-generative creative project execution, delivery and success throughout the AECO landscape. This JayZ is an educator, author and industry lecturer throughout the BIM world; Jz strives to inspire current and future generations to achieve and exceed beyond even their own expectations. Being a Fine Artist (large format oil & mixed media canvases), Jay adds unique and collaborative insights and perspectives to every team he is part of.

Jay Zallan

j.b.z.wmail@gmail.com

Author: These are Jay B. Zallan’s professional passions: An intense and experienced Virtual Design and Construction, BIM Leader, Designer, Artist, and AEC technologist. Currently heading up VDC at Harley Ellis Devereaux, Jay brings unique and qualified insights into the business and creative processes of architecture, focusing on communication and collaboration. He brings proven strategies of leveraging technologies and building teamwork toward efficient project delivery. Jay has more than 20 years of architectural experience and enjoys a varied and diverse portfolio of Architecture and Art. Jay is an Autodesk Expert Elite member, President @ Los Angeles Revit Users Group, AUGIWorld magazine Revit Editor, and Graphic Standards’ BIM Advisory Board. He is a speaker at Autodesk University, Revit Technology Conference(s) and lecturer on Creativity & Architecture at the University of Southern California, Cal Poly, LACMA, as well as various AIA & CSI events. Get more information about Jay at http://jbzallan.wix.com/portfolio or contact him at .

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