archoncad November Newsletter

Top 5 Training Tips

1. Take the attitude that training is really employee development. That will help you think more strategically about what your employees need to learn.
2. Recognize that formal training programs are only part of the picture. Most real training occurs on the job.
3. Help employees develop problem-solving skills and the ability to think by giving them work that will stretch them.
4. Set an example. Your own pleasant attitude and good work habits will influence your workers.
5. Understand that when you give employees an opportunity to grow, their job satisfaction and your ability to retain them as employees both increase substantially.

(source http://www.score.org/5_tips_tr_1.html)

Courses

One of the best ways to get started with Vectorworks is to attend course, but why attend one of my online courses? The answer is that my courses are different. You learn in small chunks. Each session is one hour long, just long enough to learn a lot, not so long that you can’t keep up. Each session has a maximum of four users, and usually no more that three. This means you get individual attendion. Learning online seems strange to many people, but it works very well. You can see my screen and hear me, and, if you want, I can watch your sceeen. This lets me watch you carry out a task and correct you if you make a mistake. Each session has homework, so you practice. this is so important. Those that practice really make fantastic progress. You have two sessions each week, so there is time to practice.

There are courses on a range of topics, for more information please visit this web site:

http://www.archoncad.co.nz/training/online_training.php

Vectorworkout

If you haven’t seen Vector-workout, then get ready for a better, faster way of learning some areas of Vectorworks. If you don’t like reading much, then Vector-workout is for you. If just want to get straight into the movies, with out all the words, then Vector-workout is for you. If you are looking for a training resource that makes it easy to dip into, then Vector-workout is for you.

At present we have 2 titles avalable under the Vector-workout banner. Both titles cover the same area of Vectorworks, one is written for Vectorworks 2009 and the other for Vectorworks 2010. The titles are called Introduction to Building Infromation Modeling (BIM) and they focus on changing your workflow from 2D drawings only to creating a 3D model with additional data, and using that to create your drawings and schedules. This is an import area of change for Vectorworks users. There is a lot of talk about BIM and what it can do. This is the guide you need if you are not using viewports, live elevations, live sections and worksheets. Order your manual from this site: http://www.archoncad.co.nz/training/vector-workout.php#introBIM2010

Coming in mid-November is a new title called the Vector-workout Guide to Productivity. This resource has all the tips and tricks I have been teaching for the five years, in one convenient place. With over 120 movies, you will find several new techniques that will save you time and effort. I strongly believe you wiill save 15-30 mins a day by following these techniques. That may not sound much, but at 15 minutes a day, you will save 1.25 hrs a week, 5 hours a month. If you want to make more money using Vectorworks get this manual, in two weeks you will re-pay your investment.

Normally, I don’t talk about upcomming manuals, but this time I thought it’s time to try a new technique, a pre-release sale. If you order now, before the release, you will get a 25% discount. Visit this site for more information:

http://www.archoncad.co.nz/training/vector-workout.php#productivity2009

Manuals

NNA announced the release of the second edition of the essential turorial and the architect tutorial manuals. These have been updated got vectorworks 2010. Many of the screen shots have been updated and all the movies have been remade. We have also added file formats for vectorworks 2008 and 2009 to enable users with older versions of vectorworks to use these manuals.

For more information, visit this web site:

http://www.nemetschek.net/training/guides.php#at

I have just finished the updates to the Landmark Tutorial manual and the 3D Modeling manual to bring them up to Vectorworks 2010. The landmark manual has a new park exercise that I have been using with my online course. This exercise bring together simple drawing techniques to create a quick landscape plan. The 3D Modeling manual has updated and I have added new exercices on working planes and creating contours. I expect to see NNA announcing these manuals before the end of the month.

Short Sharp Training

This month the short sharp training will be looking at annotation. Without notes and dimensions, your drawings are pretty sad, so this is an important topic. Creating text and a dimension is pretty straight forward, but there are really good ways to control text and dimensions to make sure your drawings look the way you want then too. Then there are the specialist annotation tools like the drawing labels, title blocks, elevation benchmarks and my personal favorite, the callout tool.

There is one free session available, limited to 10 people, with no question and answer time. Subscribers, you have the choice of three sessions to attend, at different times to suit various time zones. You also have more time for questions and don’t forget to download your written notes with linked movies.

Users report that even when they know Vectorworks really well, they still learn soemthing from me every month. Even if you learn a small trick that saves you a minute each day, that works out to be a big saving each year. You should subscribe for 6 months, you will re-pay your investment many times over with the skills and techniques you learn.

For more information, visit this web site:

http://www.archoncad.co.nz/usergroup/join_int.php