BIM Coordinator Program (INT) April 22, 2024
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Project data & BIM
About BIM-based management of attributes, schedules, templates, favorites, hotlinks, projects in general, quality assurance, etc.

Work Environment strategy?

Mats_Knutsson
Advisor
Howdy,

I'm working on the new swedish standard work environment and previously we've used the Int WE pretty much which I don't really like. I have two basic thoughts I would like to share and possibly get commented.

1. Often used buttons - on the top of the screen or in the bottom? For me it's much more natural and faster to have them at the bottom than the top. What about you?

2. If all the chosen standard palettes (info box, tool box, favorites, navigator and quick options) are on the one same side....should they be to the left or right?....I'm normally right handed and preferred the palettes to the right...but after a mouse elbow I'm forced to use left hand and then I prefer left align. What do you think? It's pretty easy to set up a leftie and a rightie WE...I just don't know it it makes sense.

Cheers,
Mats
AC 25 SWE Full

HP Zbook Fury 15,6 G8. 32 GB RAM. Nvidia RTX A3000.
15 REPLIES 15
Anonymous
Not applicable
Because we all share here is mine WE:
Mats_Knutsson
Advisor
Miki wrote:
Because we all share here is mine WE:
Thanks! You like a lot of buttons obviously! I'll post the WE I'm working on when AC12 is "official".

Swedish national day tomorrow! Wave a flag!

Cheers,
Mats
AC 25 SWE Full

HP Zbook Fury 15,6 G8. 32 GB RAM. Nvidia RTX A3000.
Rakela Raul
Participant
Because we all share here is mine WE:
that is not archicad but a look alike though
MACBKPro /32GiG / 240SSD
AC V6 to V18 - RVT V11 to V16
Laura Yanoviak
Advocate
Matthew wrote:
It's expected that people will often develop their own personal WEs but I always recommend that there be a company standard to switch back to for service and support functions. It also is good to provide a WE based on the office standards to get people stared of on the same footing.
This is what we've done during BIMplementation, but have no problems with users' customizing their WEs once everyone is up to speed with the software (as long as they take it upon themselves to understand what needs to be done!).
MacBook Pro Apple M2 Max, 96 GB of RAM
AC26 US (5002) on Mac OS Ventura 13.5
JaredBanks
Mentor
I've found having everyone in the company using the same WE very helpful. I'm coordinating ArchiCAD between three office locations so I'm doing a lot of help over the phone. It's indispensable to be able to tell the user in another office "okay, look at spot 'X' on your screen for this button or that option" and know that the screen they are looking at is the same that I'm looking at on my machine. And that if I say press '=' to get project info, I know that it'll work on their machine as well.

In that regard, I have two standard WE: one for wide format screens and one for small laptop screens, as people often switch between the two depending on where they are working at the time. The only difference being where palettes are located on the screen (always top and left side, with the info box as big as possible on the left side so as many options as possible are visible). Having new users learn how to switch between the two WE hasn't been bad so far...
Jared Banks, AIA
Shoegnome Architects

Archicad Blog: www.shoegnome.com
Archicad Template: www.shoegnome.com/template/
Archicad Work Environment: www.shoegnome.com/work-environment/
Archicad Tutorial Videos: www.youtube.com/shoegnome
Mats_Knutsson
Advisor
Here is my AC12 beta WE.
Mats
ac12we.jpg
AC 25 SWE Full

HP Zbook Fury 15,6 G8. 32 GB RAM. Nvidia RTX A3000.
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