04 May 2010

A designers' round table about software


OK, this one goes out to my designerly friends. Well, people on the manufacturer's side too. Just no software people. Got that?

After one of my American Gothic posts from the last few weeks ago, a mini conversation started in the comments about design software. It started with Pam Rodriguez and me and then Sue Murphy got in at the end. I think Pam missed it. Pam's a Chief Architect fan, I'm a SketchUp fan and Sue was wondering about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the different design and architecture rending programs out there.

I suggested that we have a panel discussion about it and that's what we're going to do.

I'd like to schedule a conference call at some point in the next week or so to talk about design software. This is not a sales or a recruitment tool, let me be perfectly clear about that. This is an exchange of ideas, peer to peer.

The great folks at Masco are going to let me set up a Webex for this round table discussion. Doing this as a Webex will allow everybody to take turns sharing desktops and that way everybody can see how you use your design software.

Again, this is a peer to peer opportunity, a chance to talk about software strengths and weaknesses without any providers listening in.

Whattya think? Who's in? Drop me a line here or through Twitter and let me know if you're interested. I'll coordinate everything else.

14 comments:

  1. Hi Paul I'd be interested in this to learn and compare. I'm an AutoKitchen user but wouldn't count myself an expert able to represent it at its best in a forum. You are after all a professional Sketch-up trainer, not just a casual user!

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  2. I want to be really clear about my intentions here. I am not doing this in any capacity than as a participant. Really. I won't mention my classes. I want to have a real peer to peer exchange of information. Levels of experience don't count. I'm genuinely curious to hear what other people use and why.

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  3. Of course you can count me in! I'd love to hear about other softwares that I haven't used before (like AutoKitchen). Let me know when. --Pam

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  4. I will send out an e-mail either late this week or over the weekend and we'll settle on a time.

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  5. What happened to my comment? I weighed in earlier today. Yes, count me in.

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  6. Hmmmmm. Desapareció.

    I'm glad to have you aboard Laurie.

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  7. You better be in Sue, this was your idea!

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  8. Oh, blame if it flops! I see. Do I get credit if it works? Just kidding. I appreciate that you are making this effort.

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  9. I love these kinds of things. A similar group I put together last fall made history. In my mind anyway. About 15 of us had a conference call with Sears' Marketing department in order to complain as a group to them about their crappy appliances. It was legendary. This will be a rollicking success. Although this is more a neighborly chat than anything resembling a focus group.

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  10. Are you going to record this? It is a great idea!

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  11. Hmmm. I never thought about recording it. I think I'll make it a regular thing if there's any interest in doing more of them.

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  12. I think it would be great to have round tables of other interests pertaining to the kitchen bath design business.

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  13. Get out of my head Sue. I see this as the first of a series of fireside chats for designers. I need to get one or more of my corporate overlords to underwrite it and we're set!

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Talk to me!