Forums >> Workflow & Implementation >> API & Third Party Apps >> A Revit add-on for small and medium construction companies. Research

Patrycjusz74

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Good day everyone,I am hoping to find some practitioners (Site Engineers, Construction Managers, Schedulers, Cost Estimators, BIM coordinators, Consultants, Designers with understanding of the on-site BIM implementation, etc.) working with Revit interested in answering a few questions about what kind of additional functionalities could improve Revit's applicability for Small and Medium Contracting Enterprises SMCEs), i.e. for small residential projects. My thesis' aim is to create an add-on in Revit's Application Programming Interface (API) (C#) that could provide some value for those companies and make the Revit's users' lives easier.

The tool is intended to be user-friendly and not introducing additional complexity to the works. Even though I have some ideas, a list of functions to implement in the add-on as well as general design have not yet been determined. I worked as a full-time structural designer for 1.5 years, yet I do not have a hands-on experience from the site. It is of crucial importance to me that my add-on will be applicable in real-life situations and that is why I decided to perform interviews with experienced practitioners and later also evaluate the functionality. I will probably do some of them offline, at Aarhus, Denmark, where I study but I also have a feeling that reaching out to a larger audience online could provide additional good results.

So here are the questions - if you do not have an opinion or do not want to share then just avoid the particular question:

1. What is your companies name and size (employee-wise)?
2. What is your job position and what are your main responsibilities?
3. For how long have you been using BIM technologies?
4. What are you using BIM for in your work?
5. What kind of software does your company use (BIM or non-BIM)? What is it used for?
6. In your opinion, what are the main 3 reasons why some of the small and medium contracting companies do not use BIM?
7. On what kind of projects did you find use of BIM the most beneficial and how did it benefit the project?
8. Use of which Revit functions is the most beneficial for your projects?
9. Does your company use add-ons for Revit?
10. If yes - which ones and what are their pros and cons? If no – why not?
11. What Revit functions you use are not sufficient / optimally working in your opinion? How could they be improved? What is Revit lacking that could enhance the user’s experience from your perspective?
12. Do you use any kind of “home-made” supporting tools (add-ons, worksheets, macros, etc.) for your company related to contracting work that improve project’s efficiency? If yes what are they and what is their purpose? If no, would you consider using them?
13. What to avoid when creating an add-on your company would use?
14. Any additional suggestions for a Revit add-on designed for an SMCE?

Questions 8 and 11 are of the highest importance for the research. Also please ask if something about any of the questions is unclear. I can revise them. Additionally, I would be happy to start a discussion on the subject.It is possible that I might want to cite answers from some of you in my report if you will give me the permission of course.

Looking forward to your responses!

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sllana

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Joined: Wed, Mar 2, 2011
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Utilities i would like to have: the count of wall quantities splited by levels without the physical split of them. And so in the columns. The split walls by levels too. The posibility to make distance measurements in the 3d view, delta x, y & z (could be respect to current "project north") The count of glass areas of the curtain walls. Walls with different base and top width, walls that finish in rounded shape (plan viewed). Wall sweeps that can surround wall ends, (easily) Capability of profile editing in curved walls. Capability to make a floor boundary (most for finishes) in an automatic way, like the "room" command can, (detecting the walls). An automatic "pick up" of wall materials for the room parameter fields. A command that changes the level an object is referenced at, without changing, neither its positioning nor its dimensions. Just the reference. Manual positioning of balusters and that you can pin them without reseting the whole railing, (as pinning railing supports does).

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Patrycjusz74

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Thank you so much for your response! For sure I'll consider each of your suggestions and if I'll manage to implement some of them I will share it with you to hear your opinion if you were interested. Could you just tell me what is your position and main responsibilities with respect to BIM?

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sllana

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Joined: Wed, Mar 2, 2011
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Well, of course i'm interested. And I am one of the designer architects of an important design and construction enterprise, and the one who knows revit the most, so system department ask me for advise all the time. I knew revit in 2000 but really use it since 2010. Thank you.

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sllana

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Joined: Wed, Mar 2, 2011
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Well, of course i'm interested. And I am one of the designer architects of an important design and construction enterprise, and the one who knows revit the most, so system department ask me for advise all the time. I knew revit in 2000 but really use it since 2010. Thank you.

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JAOliveira

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Joined: Wed, Mar 2, 2011
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Hi Sllana,If you have any requirements for custom Revit API development, feel free to contact us (info@diroots.com).

DiRoots is currently helping several companies around the world developing smart digital solutions, like #Revit plugins and web-based applications, to improve productivity and efficiency. 

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