Pencil Drawings Equal Peril; AutoCAD Drawings Equal Credentials
Computer-Aided Design vs. Graphite and Vellum
March 29, 2010
Most of us can hardly fathom life without our email, without our cell
phones, and definitely not without our computers. In the design and architectural spectrum, many software programs such as Revit Architecture, 20-20, SketchUp, and of course the Mac Daddy of them all, AutoCAD, have become the ultimate industry standard used to build everything from skyscrapers of the future to log cabins in the woods. Keeping up with these important computer programs is absolutely critical for all design professionals if they expect to hold a competitive edge in such a competitive market.
Having the ability and know-how to graduate from hand drafting to AutoCAD shouldn’t even be an issue to a true professional, but as it turns out, it’s just another determining factor that separates interior designers from decorators. Today’s discriminating consumers are savvy enough to know that the dying trade of hand-drafting is basically an expensive art form that wastes tight budgets and has come to be considered more of a hobby than a true occupation.
This antiquated method of sketching and tracing is extremely difficult to justify in light of the constant changes in the organic design process between client and designer. Manually erasing, starting over, or – heaven forbid – using the age-old “white out,” wastes not only precious time, but also the client’s hard-earned dollars. In our world today, every businessman or businesswoman knows that time equals money.
Using AutoCAD to draft plans and construction documents is considered industry standard in communicating and collaborating with contractors, developers, architects and clients alike, promoting speedy changes and additions. These transferable documents can be rapidly sent around the world with the simple click of a mouse using effortless formats such as PDF, ZIP and JPEG. The only mouse to be found with old-school decorators who are still using hand drafting is the dead one that lies between the eraser, the drafting triangle and the T-square in their dusty old drafting tool boxes.
AutoCAD allows design professionals to provide complete accuracy to their strongest industry partners, to strengthen presentation value to the client, and to close the deal to any prospective buyer.
You be the judge: What do you want to pay for – pencils or credentials?
Comments
If your design professional is planning on completing his construction documents by hand vs. a CAD software, you are heading toward failure before you even get started. As stated so eloquently by Shane and Brooke, today’s design process is more fluid then ever and the need to change & coordinate with teamed professionals is conducted daily. Clients today have the ability to receive a better product because of the ease of communication between design professionals. The sharing of plans, design details & specifications can happen in seconds instead of days or weeks. Understanding today’s technology within the architectural profession has never been more important. And thus, clients need to be aware of how their design professionals get the job done. Sean Patrick Flaherty, Owner Authentic homes & design