IF Autodesk delivered a Facility Management Suite (which they do not), here is what should be in it. Facility Management Suite - Standard
AutoCAD MEP
Revit MEP
Raster Design
Image Modeler
Vault
For the Premium Suite, add Showcase and Constructware
For the Ultimate Suite, throw in Green Building Studio
Yes, I know what a couple of you are thinking. You're wondering why I did not include Navisworks (or Adobe Acrobat Viewer) on my list.
Navisworks Freedom is not a Facilities Management (CAFM) tool, and Navisworks Manage has some great features, but, they are extreme overkill for day to day operational needs.
If some have found uses for Navisworks post-construction, in the built environment, that is great! But, in the opinion of someone who has been working in the Facilities Engineering department of a six million square foot medical center (where any given space is renovated once every thirteen years, but, maintained every day) for well over a decade, I declare that it is not a viable approach long-term.
See this conversation on the AUGI forums for thoughts and ideas from both sides of the fence:
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?117785-Linking-Data-Spreadsheet-to-Navisworks-for-Facility-Management
We take in data from various construction projects. We archive the project, then work the MEPFP components into a patchwork quilt which we work off of. If we make one-off changes in-house, those will be drawn up and changed on our documents (using AutoCAD MEP or Revit MEP). We then distribute bits and pieces of this information to architects, engineers and general contractors who work on the 50-75 construction projects we have going on around our campus at any given time.
Since we are over 100 years old now, we do have a vast library of scanned blueprints spanning a century of new construction and renovations. Raster Design would be a fabulous addition to our toolset, filling in gaps in our more current electronic records.
With so much information in our archives (that might need to be accessed at any random time), and with such a geographically scattered work team, a good data management solution is in order.
In their spare time, our staff engineers attempt to find ways to modernize our buildings and reduce our energy consumption. Once they identify projects, they must sell them to our executives in order to compete for the scant funding available.
Well, now that I have shared what should be in an Autodesk Product Suite geared toward the Facilities customer, I will be serious for a moment and let you know that I will soon have the opportunity to post a review of the AutoCAD Design Suite, if you'd like the chance to read about something that actually is for sale.
You should get a kickback from Autodesk if they implement this idea!!
ReplyDeleteHello Melanie,
ReplyDeleteI like your point of view! But I'll use my foggy crystal ball and point out a more likely combination of software.
Facility Management Suite - Standard
AutoCAD
AutoCAD Architecture
AutoCAD MEP
AutoCAD MAP 3D
Raster Design
Showcase
(Autodesk likes an "AutoCAD" approach here and would likely believe most of your drawings would be in that form or hand drawn anyway).
Premium adds:
Revit (One Box - Contains all flavors, this is standard in most of the Suites))
Autodesk Navisworks Simulate
Autodesk 3ds Max Design
Ultimate Suite
Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler
Autodesk Navisworks Manage
Vault
I'm holding off on mentioning Constructware until I see a more clear direction on how they are delivering it. Green Building Studio still exists, but its features are being distributed into other software.... my guess is that it will go away at some point.
They would likely include a couple other options and introduce the FM individuals to the Autodesk 360 offerings... but if such a Suite existed, the above is a more likely scenario based on current marketing and product placement.
OF,
ReplyDeleteI concur!
Brian,
I understand a little bit of how they tend to market things, but, I must say, if they DID make an FM suite and did not include a BIM package in the base suite, I'd certainly have some scathing commentary to offer about their marketing team's BIM-washing in recent years (re: FM/lifecycle benefits).
I'm, understandably, not thrilled at the demise of my Revit MEP suite in coming years. It's a reasonably priced way to keep my CAD archives going and simultaneously move forward with our BIM initiative.
And, you could be right on constructware, I'm not familiar with any of those types of programs because we simply couldn't afford to buy them with our scant budgets... we get just the essentials (like our CMMS, CAD and BIM software) and not a lot of room for extras.
360 offerings aren't going to fly for a hospital, and maybe not education, although I'm sure smaller facilities without our privacy concerns might enjoy them.
Has nothing new happened since May?
ReplyDeleteLOL... quite the contrary, there has been plenty going on. I'm treading water here.
ReplyDeleteOnce the Salary Survey is in hand, I've got a few posts to finish fleshing out... lol... just in time for new software to come out.