7 Keys to Best Practices - by Eric Bobrow

 

The 7 Keys to Best Practices

 

1. Get Organized

- Project folder

- Template

- Office and Project Libraries

- Standard notes and details to be reused

 

 

2. Do It Once

- Office Standard Template

- Preserve attributes and structure

- Customize for different project types

- Create modules and custom library parts

 

 

3. Save Your Setting

- Favorites

- Interacitve Legends of Visual Favorites

- Room Configurations

- Schedule Setting

- Translators

 

 

4. Work from the General to the Specific

- Massing, blocking and stacking with zone to meet program requirements

- Place generic walls with reference lines -> later choose composite wall type

- Name materials by function (eg. exterior wall default) - allows going from monochrome to specific colors and textures

- Use simple placeholders (eg. basic windows & doors) with anchors to record design intent (eg. inserted by corner or center), get specific later

- Same for columns and beams

- Use alignment and anchor for text notes

 

 

5. Use ArchiCAD's Structure

- Work "downhill", use dependencies and relationships

- Views depend on Layer Combinateions, Model View Options, etc.

- Drawing names depend on View names which are derived from Project Map or Marker names

- Composites, Materials can be leveraged

- Clone Folders create new Views automatically

 

 

6. Model Well, Draw Less

- Learn how to keep it "live"

- Proper modeling leads to clean drawings

- Use profiles, materal hatching, accessories to gain mileage

- Solid Element Operations define relationships

 

 

7. Keep It Safe

- Save often, don't rely on Autodave

- Develop a good backup strategy, include off-site copies

- Controlled migration to newer versions