AC27 wishlist

[graan]

Now that AC26 has almost arrived, perhaps we can already gather some wishes for AC27.
Again, wise to keep it short, and only name your top 3 with the highest priority.
Focus on what you want to contribute and don't react to what others submit worked well last time too.

[4hotshoes]

If GS did that, I would take my suggestions more seriously. I don't think they read any of this and make anything out of it. The list might make us all feel better. But considering any of the recent updates, I am convinced that GS does what is good for GS and not for its AC users. Not to say that AC is not good. It is the best CAD/BIM out there for Architects. They could hold off on the new flashy features and fix what is not yet working right.

[Karl Ottenstein · Accepted solution]

To all users who posted to a thread titled "AC26 Wishlist":

I have merged that entire AC26 Wishlist thread (started in February) into this one for AC 27 - because even in February, it was too late to realistically wish for anything in AC 26 (the old topic might have been better called a "hope" list).

Every year this same thing happens as we all get excited for the new release later that year ... a wish list for the new version gets created early in the year... when the feature set has already been determined.

It's important to share your needs with Graphisoft here in the Wishes forum... but... you have to understand that they plan new features far in advance.  But, also, a "catch all" topic that is filled with hundreds of wishes does not help Graphisoft either.... can you imagine reading and organizing the content in this thread as it evolves with nested replies - and merging it with an existing per-topic wishlist database?

Ideally, this Wishes forum - as the old one on the old ac-talk - should have one topic per feature wish (after doing a Search to verify that the wish does not already exist).  People finding that topic directly or by Search should click 'like' it to bump the vote count if you agree, and also add your additional comments and examples for that specific wish.  That would be the most helpful for Graphisoft. 🙂

[4hotshoes]

Karl, Can this "rule" or guide be pinned to the top of the "Wishes" forum? We all want to be effective in refining the tool we all work with.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Hi Todd.  I wish.  Meta wish. 😁  I don't know if we have that ability on this platform.  I really want an AI that can parse everyone's posts and split them into separate topics in the right forums.  I don't think I'll live that long 😂

[jl_lt]

Hi Karl, i totally understand your point. But even if GS picked ONE single wish mentioned here (all of them badly needed), it  would be a vast improvement... Cannot wait for Archicad 28!

[DGSketcher]

@Karl Ottenstein I think the original AC26 Wishlist thread served its purpose of identifying user concerns and also bringing home that Structural Design isn't seen as a priority in the current software failings.

Reading and organising this type of thread on an annual basis shouldn't be difficult, I could probably do it myself in a morning but I already give too much unpaid time to GS as it is. You have made the sorting of wishes more difficult by merging them. If these lists were taken seriously by GS then the AC27 wish list may have helped identify the outstanding & current priorities for the users that aren't addressed in AC26.

In my opinion the one thread per wish process fails to prioritise current need, perhaps deliberately. That's why some 18 year old wishes are still unanswered. If those same wishes were identified as a top priority for as many years then serious questions should be asked as to why they are still there. Put simply GS should manage a simple open survey (like this thread) on user priorities each year and provide more focussed threads on their implementation and requirements. 

[Karl Ottenstein]

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@DGSketcher wrote:

You have made the sorting of wishes more difficult by merging them.

I'm not sure how merging a 100% random list with another 100% random list makes the difficulty of reading random thoughts more difficult?  Neither list was sorted in any meaningful/useful way.    Nobody is going to read this entire thread and find the things that they want to vote for and clarify to result in any prioritization... so an exercise like this is just emotional venting as I see it.  As with an architecture project, organization is everything.  Graphisoft has not responded to issues raised in these kinds of threads in the past... so there's no reason to think they will pay attention to this one now 🙂

Cheers,

Karl

[DGSketcher]

@Karl Ottenstein I was just suggesting that an annual review to "test the mood" should be giving GS a better idea of where things need focussed year on year. Yes it is emotional venting, but anyone with an empathy to the user base should quite quickly identify the themes within the thread. All I am suggesting is anyone who took the trouble to post has a personal interest in the software development and their views should be seriously considered. If within the thread there are multiple requests for annotation improvements and none for Rebar detailing then perhaps there is a good clue as to what users need in the next update / release. I have no expectation GS will respond to the issues raised, we have seen that for too long now, but here is another opportunity for engagement if they were so inclined. Think of it as a short single question survey with three lines for a user to highlight their priorities. 😉

[jl_lt]

I also proposed last year that someone or a group of people take some time to sort out the main wishes, based on a criteria matrix (not necesarily in this order)

a.overall impact

b.feasibility

c.short or long term implementation (Mr. Bursell by himself has come up with a keynote tool)

d.most popular request per category

Unfortunately, in its time, the suggestion was mercilessly dismissed 😪, but i still think it might actually be a good idea to start fresh. 

[4hotshoes]

Hi Karl, In review of what has been said, I think the bigger problem is in the forum format or lack there of. A single thread of user's top three wishes is good for all users to see what matters to other users. It provides a sense of community. Users don't need to hunt for single topic threads, because it is all in one place. It was created this way because, if they were all threaded by single wish topics, most people would miss most of the various threads. And they have. I did not even know that there was a "wish" forum until this week. I don't have much time to dig into the forums. So while GS would better manage the information in a single-narrow topic thread, it won't get as much notice by users. Again, this has happened because the current forum format is broken when it comes to good community communication. The one method that is easy for GS to glean information, is the method that gets topics lost in the thick fog of the current forum format, which does not encourage a robust and vibrant community (that we once had). Since it is harder to glean info from a multi-topic wish list for GS and it is harder for users to contribute to multiple single topic threads, it seems that there is a technical gap in effective communication. The forum format is indeed getting in the way. I wish for a new forum that is researched and chosen by a selected group of experienced Archicad forum users in cooperation with GS IT. They must have open communication and equal say in the final outcome.