product focus
Revit MEP
By: David Butts
Training the Technical MEP User I ➲
’ve had a pretty interesting career. I’m one of the lucky Autodesk product users that has seen both sides of the fence, having worked over 26 years in both the architecture and engineering services industry, and in the Autodesk reseller channel. And I was also lucky enough to spend a few years as a training manager while I was in the channel, and serve on the Autodesk ATC advisory board, where I worked with other training managers to help develop the best methods for delivering Autodesk software training. There are a few things I’ve learned about training technical users that might interest you. In the mid-80s the move to CAD was just getting started, with many design firms still entrenched in the draftsperson/designer mentality. Learning CAD also encompassed learning how to use the PC, so the curve was fairly steep. Business owners were already reeling over the cost of purchasing and implementing CAD systems (anyone remember the $5,000 286 computers?), and increasing the burden was the cost of training the draftsperson on how to use the software. Adding in Windows, 3D modeling software applications, then BIM…and the industry was progressing faster than anyone could imagine. And therein lies the problem: how users were trained wasn’t keeping up with the technology. For years, the idea was to buy the CAD person a book and let ‘em learn on the job. But as the programs became more sophisticated and complicated, a book wouldn’t be enough. The engineering draftsperson had to evolve into the engineering designer—someone who was not necessarily carrying a four-year degree or a professional registration, but at least had a technical degree or more “field” experience than many of the higher paid professionals. 30 www.augi.com
So here’s what I’ve learned. In my current position, I’m responsible for the implementation of BIM and 3D modeling applications, focusing on MEP and process engineering aspects of the firm. This entails quite a bit more than buying a book and reading it back to the users. You’ve got to have a plan, so here are some of my tips to help you train the new generation of technical users. Set an outline for training. This encompasses the key elements of how, what, and when. The “how” is the expected delivery method of training you’ll use. The “what” is the goal of the training—what level of detail the users can be expected to produce once their training is complete. The “when” is the timeline, which is critical. Gaps between training and projects can have a major impact on a user’s ability to be successful. 1. Let’s talk about the “how” first. Some firms still think they can train one user and then have that user train everyone else. No offense, but with today’s technical user, that flow won’t work. And not everyone can be an instructor: if the instructor doesn’t understand the design process, then the tools they’re training on may not be relevant to the task. One currently popular method of training delivery is to have the users watch training videos. Others bring in instructors to work with a team, but once the instructor leaves, the users are typically on their own. The reality of today’s user is that it takes a combination of all three, and then some. We currently start with group training, so that all users see the same approach and tools. This is followed by over-the-shoulder mentoring when the user is actively working on a project. The last piece we include is online, November 2011