Just throwing this out there...

[Laura Yanoviak]

Our firm decided to move to ArchiCAD 4 years ago now, and implementation started 3 1/2 years ago. Everyone has been trained (50 or so employees -- due to layoffs over the summer, we are now down to 20 users), and 100% of our current projects are on ArchiCAD.

So, the PAs (Project Architects) of my firm were called into the conference room this morning and asked how to improve the inefficiency we've been experiencing over the past 6 months. One solution was to become a 'hybrid office' and leave it up to the PAs whether to use ArchiCAD or AutoCAD for production.

I said this would be a disaster... what do y'all think?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like Alan Greenspan opinion about the financial market... "Let the market regulate itself!..."

[Karl Ottenstein]

Laura wrote:
Everyone has been trained (50 or so employees -- due to layoffs over the summer, we are now down to 20 users)

That has to be emotionally painful for those gone and those still there ... but the 30 trained at your firm's expense may be snapped up by other firms who were desperately looking for ArchiCAD-experienced people before the economic meltdown happened. When things do recover, the smart firms will bounce back the fastest.

So, the PAs (Project Architects) of my firm were called into the conference room this morning and asked how to improve the inefficiency we've been experiencing over the past 6 months. One solution was to become a 'hybrid office' and leave it up to the PAs whether to use ArchiCAD or AutoCAD for production.

I said this would be a disaster... what do y'all think?

Hmmm. How do you spell 'idiots'. The more important question is, what do the partners/owners think, or are they out of day-to-day management?

Good luck!

Karl

[Aaron Bourgoin]

Imlementation is more about a mindset and less about a specific platform choice. Was there ever a conscious decision expressed to stop the use of ArchiCAD or has it been there in the background all along.

Its easier to blame the problem on the computer stuff than it is to really assess what the team needs to do to stay focused.

StrawCAD?

[Laura Yanoviak]

Aaron wrote:
Imlementation is more about a mindset and less about a specific platform choice. Was there ever a conscious decision expressed to stop the use of ArchiCAD or has it been there in the background all along.

Are you referring to ArchiCAD or AutoCAD? My response is that if anything is holding us back, it's been the AutoCAD crutch. The PAs have been the most resistive to being trained and actually using the software -- this is the disconnect. As we all know, the BIM paradigm calls for a different process than the traditional design-and-draft scenario -- without the PAs in the loop, the prioritization of tasks is all wrong.

The insistence to use ACAD on a last few remaining projects has hurt us as well -- AC trained and competent staff being put on ACAD projects, and all that training going out the window -- and then needing to be retrained! Uggh... I could go on and on...

[Erika Epstein]

Hi Laura,
Sorry to hear all this.
What were the 'inefficiencies' you mentioned? Were the listed, discussed and adressed? Two programs could easily lead to more problems. It sounds like some of the staff didn't fully embrace Archicad. Is their discord part of the 'inefficiencies'?.

I doubt turning PAs loose to choose their own programs will really help. Staff woud then have to know two programs well, not just one.
Is management really looking down the road to consequences of this decision?

How disheartening for you after all your efforts and successes with archicad. What does this mean for you?

Good luck!

[Laura Yanoviak]

The first thing I asked was "define inefficiencies" -- apparently, it's people spending too much time on tasks (exceeding fee) mixed with recording too much general office (non-billable) time. The answer is obvious: we need more billable work; however, in lieu of getting more work, what can be done?

I suspect BIM may becoming a scapegoat in these hard times. Implementation has not been easy, but at this point any inefficiencies are coming from people not understanding it, and certainly those not using it.

As for me, I don't plan on managing two different CAD applications, so they'd have to find someone willing to dedicate themselves to AutoCAD [good luck there].

[Stress Co_]

Laura wrote:
So, the PAs (Project Architects) of my firm were called into the conference room this morning and asked how to improve the inefficiency we've been experiencing over the past 6 months. One solution was to become a 'hybrid office' and leave it up to the PAs whether to use ArchiCAD or AutoCAD for production.

Another solution would be to hire new PAs well versed in (or willing to learn and use) ArchiCAD.

[Anonymous]

Laura wrote:
I suspect BIM may becoming a scapegoat in these hard times. Implementation has not been easy, but at this point any inefficiencies are coming from people not understanding it, and certainly those not using it.

My own scenario was exactly the same just 6 weeks Ago
BIM was the scapegoat
Implementation had been bloody hard
All inefficiencies came from people not WANTING to understand the Process and those with NO intention of using it BACKED up by a (Architect/manager) who Hated It & just wanted to get the drawings out anyway he could in his efforts to take over the Hot Seat Position.

Time to Move ON

[Anonymous]

In almost all corporate (group) decisions, it MUST be supported from the top down, or your dead.
Bier