AUTODESK UNIVERSITY IS COMING, AND WE CAME UP WITH 53 CLASS IDEAS
2022-03-28
Autodesk University is happening in late September this year and will be in person. I have been a speaker for the past two years and am looking forward to this year's conference as it will be an in-person event.
For that, I have started outlining some class ideas and came up with 53 ideas based on what we’re experts with at Bird Tools, with topics including but not limited to Revit, the Revit API, Forge, Dynamo, web development, CFD, AutoCAD API, Navisworks and its API, MEP modelling, Microsoft Office APIs, and even some of our business practices and marketing strategies.
I could have gone further but somehow 53 sounded like a good number (Why? You can find out at the end of the post).
Unfortunately, each of these ideas would require more than 50 hours of preparation as we’re sort of perfectionists here and always aim to provide our community with the best content possible, so we have time for only one.
Please give the following ideas a check and help us decide by commenting or replying to the original post that referred you here.
AU2022 – Potential Class Titles and Ideas:
1. “I opened the central model and Yada Yada Yada”… Basic Revit worksharing mistakes you should avoid.
2. Bone-Muscle-Skin: the forgotten art of Revit family creation.
3. Revit Families for MEP, a 101: the common practices of family creation for MEP modelers.
4. You’re not a Revit master until you’re familiar with Revit lookup: a look at the most underappreciated Revit add-in.
5. Revit-AutoCAD interoperability: a detailed look at both APIs and how they can both communicate.
6. Navisworks API 101: a look at the most undocumented Autodesk API.
7. Modelling for CFD simulations: how to do it properly.
8. Autodesk CFD: a 101 guide.
9. Hidden Revit DLL libraries you didn’t know about that can give you Revit API giga powers.
10. “I’m never going to need college math in real life” …not! The real-case application of mathematics within the AEC industry.
11. Crucial advanced mathematical concepts for AEC automation.
12. Machine learning: demystifying the buzzword and real-case applications within the AEC industry.
13. Is AI going to replace you in the near future? (Probably a panel)
14. Real-time automation: a look at the necessary Revit events and at some real-case applications.
15. Turn yourself into a real-time Clash Detection god using Bird Tools’ Clash Preventor.
16. Powered by Forge: the leverage granted by Forge integration within an AEC developer’s App bundle.
17. And on that bombshell, it’s time to automate: a look at many APIs you need to learn right away ( Introduction to multi-disciplinary automation and several essential APIs to learn, ex: Excel, Word, Outlook (VBA), AutoCAD, Revit, Navisworks, Dynamo, Forge, Web Development, Web App creation, Web server creation, gaming engines (unity, unreal), REST API, VR/AR, mobile development, HTML, JavaScript…)
18. LISP, VBA, C#, Python, or JavaScript? Where every language thrives and why you should learn ‘em all.
19. Forge: A detailed introduction and how to get started, the easy way.
20. Forge Design Automation API for Revit: a detailed introduction.
21. Forge Design Automation API for AutoCAD: a detailed introduction.
22. Forge BIM 360 API: a detailed introduction.
23. Forge Data Management API: a detailed introduction.
24. Forge Viewer: a detailed introduction.
25. Nothing has 3 legs… except authentication tokens: a detailed overview over Autodesk authentication within Forge automation workflows.
26. Connecting Revit to Zoom, MS Teams, Slack or Webex using Bird Tools’ Raven.
27. Cloud worksharing automation: a look at real-case Forge and Revit API “BIM Collaborate Pro” automation solutions.
28. “Kill ‘Em All”: Unpurgeable Revit garbage and the way to get rid of them.
29. “Ride the lightning”: the electrical side of the Revit API.
30. Revit’s “Rainbow in the Dark”: a detailed introduction to Revit Macros.
31. Native Python automation exists within Revit and outside of Dynamo: an introduction to Python Revit macros.
32. Lessons the AEC industry could learn from the gaming industry.
33. Building your first VR, AR, XR, and MR app using both Unity and Unreal.
34. “CAD is Dead”? A reference to Nietzsche and Black Sabbath, and why AutoCAD is still a thing in 2022.
35. 3 Years of Forge Classes from One Speaker in 60 Minutes—Volume 1 (It seems to work every year for some weird reason!)
36. A look at the Mechanical side of the Revit API.
37. Common MEP automation concepts you’ll be using within every Revit MEP automation workflow.
38. Essential Navisworks Tips and Tricks you need to know about.
39. Excel-Revit automation: a look over both APIs and the best practices to achieve flawless interoperability.
40. The different forms of Dynamo nodes and how each is built.
41. Building your first Dynamo node package.
42. Visual Programming vs Syntax-based programming: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly and the Clint of each approach.
43. Dynamo to macros to add-ins: where to start and when to make the transitions.
44. Rebuilding a web version of Revit using Forge’s several APIs: how hard can it be?
45. Dynamo Zero Touch nodes 101: a detailed introduction.
46. “Heaven and Hell”: the aspects of starting your own AEC automation business.
47. Why 67% of Bird Tools’ workforce are women: a look at diversity within the AEC industry.
48. Tagging your Revit plans the smart way using Bird Tool’s Tag Alignment Tool.
49. Have sheets and plans become obsolete? Enumerating the necessary tools and a look at some real-case planless construction workflows.
50. The future of BIM: Object Oriented programming concepts that are still to be implemented.
51. Digital marketing within the AEC industry: lessons learned from a fully digital, location independent company’s growth story.
52. Robotics within the AEC industry: fundamentals, necessary tools, and a look at some real-case scenarios.
53. Batch processing your Revit models using Dynamo and Bird Tools’ App Bundle.
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Also, once the class idea is submitted, we’ll be left with 52 ideas that we can tackle on a weekly basis for a year which may turn into a live web series, potentially a YouTube or Twitch one, so that may happen as well. We’ll see what the future holds!
Meanwhile, feel free to check some of the other AU classes we’ve contributed to:
2020:
Combining Forge and Machine Learning to Automate Time Consuming Tasks, along with Rana Zeitouny of EMDC Group.
Dynamo+Revit Systems Analysis=True BIM for HVAC, along with Sean Fruin of Sigma AEC Solutions.
2021:
Beyond Dynamo: The Powerful Automation Potential of Forge and the Revit API, along with Ghida Shehadeh of EMDC Group.
