Implementing Revit

Most of the tutorials and courses geared towards learning Revit focus on building the model from the very beginning. The Getting Started tutorial in Revit has you creating a small modern house on a hillside. All of the primary tools are shown and used and it's a good introduction to Revit.

Unfortunately, like many programs, Revit gets really complicated really fast and these tutorials mislead the new user into thinking Revit's easy to use.

About a year ago I found a program for building performance analysis, Ecotect, and its sister website/wiki devoted to training and learning. Complicated program but the wiki is great. My favorite part? The organization of the training based on a series of Levels of Achievements.

Beginning with simple viewing and navigating the application at level 1 and going all the way up to being innovative in the use of the program (essentially untrainable), the Level of Achievements they've implemented covers a lot of ground and gives clear signs to know where you are and how to get to where you want to go.

So what if we applied that same thinking to training Revit? Here's what I came up with:

Sufficient skill level for Partners and non-technical Project Managers.

At this level you should be able to move around and through the model in order to acquire and print the information you need without going through another person.

This level focuses on View Tab in the Design Bar.

Specific skills include being able to; navigate through the Project Browser, create additional views to show you what you want (including Visibility Graphics and View Properties settings), and print views and sheets.

What first time users, resistant AutoCAD geeks, SketchUp kings, interns and more than a few designers I know need to be capable of.

At level 2 you should be able to help others on the project modify existing model content and add annotations. New object creation should be limited to what is specifically "redlined" and previously discussed with Producers and/or Managers. You should also be able to create sheets and place views and have a an understanding of how to create basic schedules.

This level focuses on Drafting and Room and Area Tabs in the Design Bar.

At this level, a user should be able to independently set up or build a model.

This is where the majority of work is done and, as such, Project Architects and some Managers may need to be at this level.

At this point you should be creating and modifing projects with all required model components as well as know how to create basic families in either 3D or 2D and create and edit more complex Schedules.

Here, the power users, the Revit geeks, the computer savvy Project Architects and those highly skilled in AutoCAD making the transition may soon find themselves.

Skills at this level include; creating and managing Design Options and Phasing, creating and managing parametric families that are both 3D and 2D with appropriate levels of detail, understanding the differences between modeling for Design Intent and Construction and how to move from one to the other during the design process, as well as being able to create and edit interrelated Schedules and Schedule Keys.

Who knows. How do you define or describe innovation? I think you'll know it when you see it.

At the very least, to contribute to any Revit project, a user must have some basic understanding of the work being generated by others in the design team and be able to VIEW the model as and when required.

With some extra training and experience, the user should be able to ASSIST in both the creation of models and the annotations necessary to explain and document the design.

With more experience and training, the next stage is to be able to independently generate all that is required to PRODUCE the Building Information Model.

The highest contribution typically required is then to be able to MANAGE the Revit project in order to support high-level design decision-making and to ensure useful information and data downstream.

To reach the highest achievement level, the user needs to demonstrate real INNOVATION in utilising their knowledge and skills to devise new ways to work with Revit in ways not ordinarily considered.