Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices
Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices Productivity comes in many forms, whether it is the tools, the technology enabled communication, connected workflows, or even the mindset. The ENGworks Global office recently took a survey called “Elevate Your Workflow” with a theme that focused on computer mouse devices. We participated in this survey because we were curious to know if there was an edge to using particular devices in BIM related roles. Whether it was the lights, the buttons, or cool racing stripes… we wanted to understand what moves the needle in productivity. Most importantly, we wanted to pass those insights on to you. Read further to see our analysis, our survey results, and our top 10 recommendations to elevate your workflow. Highlights from the Survey Responses To start off, here is a visual that shows an overall ranking with the top three features across all mouse devices that appeared in the survey results. Now, let’s get into an analysis of specific features. Programmable Buttons & Wireless vs. Wired Debate In my personal experience, I have found that equipment meant for gaming purposes can work well in CAD and BIM related roles. Gaming equipment has a lot more features, customizations, buttons, and the performance to handle long durations of use, which could be a very suitable solution in the AEC industry as well. Programmable buttons on mouse devices are popular for gaming because of the built-in shortcuts and macros that can be context specific in different games. With the plethora of software available in the industry, I had wondered if that would translate as a use case for shortcut commands in Autodesk® Revit® or AutoCAD®, for example. To my surprise, more programmable buttons didn’t always necessarily mean “better” or “more popular.” In fact, mouse devices with fewer than five buttons received almost double the amount of survey responses compared to those that exceeded 10 buttons. These mouse devices also tripled the amount of responses compared to those that had 6 to 10 buttons. Additionally, the race was very very close between wired and wireless mouse devices. It just so happens in this office that wired beat out wireless mouse devices, according to the number of survey responses. Full Feature Breakdown Here is a full breakdown of all features and all mouse devices that appeared in the survey results. Notice that several differently ‘called out’ features are noted by independent survey respondents and ultimately result in similar mouse recommendations. Mouse Device Recommendations Here are our mouse recommendations along with comments about each one. 1 – Logitech G502 HERO: This mouse device is the most popular device in the office. It is noted that while it is Number One on the list, the 10+ button feature category responses are only attributed to this mouse device and no others. From my personal experience, I have programmed the lower rhombus shaped button as a trigger to make emails automatically read and archived to a certain folder. I have also configured the top scroll wheel to automatically set up an MS Teams invite by toggling it to a hard left. Finally, the lights are pretty cool. Here are additional comments about this mouse below. “Many programmable buttons within easy reach of index finger/thumb.“ “Ergonomic, suitable for palm and claw style grips.“ “Unlike other mice with programmable buttons, this mouse uses the G-Shift button that gives double functionality to each programmable button.“ “Increases speed“ “Programmable buttons that are context specific.“ 2 – Logitech M500: This mouse device is the next most popular mouse device in the office. Based on the comments below, it seems simple yet mighty. For those who are interested in something that just gets the job done and do not need a lot of bells and whistles, check out the comments below. “Simple, easy, responsive…not too complicated“ “It has outlived 3 PCs and hasn’t failed me yet.“ “It allows me to navigate different facets of my work environment more quickly.“ “Reliable“ “Cool racing stripes”*** 3 – Logitech MX Master: This mouse seems to be a step up from a traditional design but with a little ergonomic flair. “Ergonomic design is nice for long work days, and the app specific customization makes me more efficient.“ “Ease of use and comfortable in hand.“ 4 – DELUX Ergonomic: This mouse is definitely for those who are more serious about ergonomic design. Those who experience strain from using traditional mouse devices may benefit from thinking outside the box a bit. “The position of the wrist and hand while using a vertical mouse is more comfortable than twisting the wrist to match the traditional mouse. If you have to pull your hand out every once in a while because it’s strained, then comfort is the most important criteria here.“ “Programmable buttons in the mouse decrease the time of travel from your mouse to keyboard and back to mouse when performing commands, therefore, increasing productivity. The keyboard can also have programmable buttons so this is not that big of a criteria.“ “Vertical Position“ 5 – 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse® Wireless: Well, this is certainly a different design altogether. Rather than a re-purposed gaming mouse, this mouse seems to have been designed specifically for those using CAD applications. “6 degrees of Freedom with 3D modeling software. Aids in easier navigation and makes the 3D model navigation in Navisworks/Revizto look more professional for Coordination meetings.“ 6 – iClever Ergonomic: The picture really doesn’t do this one justice. This one also appears to have more of a vertical design. It gives off a feeling of working on while on the beach with its interesting seashell shape. “Extended wrist rest provides user friendly experience, and avoids any hand pain.“ “Hours of clicking sounds can be annoying. The reduced tip noise improves concentration, learning, and productivity.“ 7 – Razer Naga Hex V2/Trinity: According to the website, “Razer™ is the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers.”(MOBA / MMO Gaming Mouse – Razer Naga Trinity). This could be another great option for those interested in mapping keyboard
Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts
Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts Safety glasses. Forklifts. Yellow lines. These were common sights I experienced from working for a manufacturer for almost a decade. I often found myself walking through the shop floor to get to meetings. My specific role was in supporting CAD/BIM software platforms for AEC professionals using software such as Autodesk® Revit® and Fabrication CADmep™. I managed manufacturer specific BIM content assets. That said, it was great to have the constant reminder about the realities of the real-life manufactured product in the back of my mind. It proved to be a defining chapter in my career. Valuable Experience – Valuable Benefits It is so valuable to have first-hand experience, especially in an industry where there are labor and skill shortages. In addition to shortages, there are often disconnects between field and office. A couple of years ago, I put out a very informal poll on Twitter. I asked how many times someone as an AEC professional has visited a job site or visited a shop floor. About 20% of the sixty-four votes on that poll stated that they had fewer than ten visits or first-hand experiences. Out of that segmented group, over half stated they had fewer than five visits or first-hand experiences. Note that the informality of the poll did not cover additional details such as career stage, additional breakdowns beyond ten visits, and the trade involved. My purpose for that poll was hoping that the percentage of people visiting job sites or shop floors does not go down over time. This is especially the hope, given that we have experienced a lot more virtual and flexible situations in the industry over the last couple of years. BIM is a technology that can accelerate productivity in the construction industry. If we are to truly realize the full potential, we can focus on BIM content as an incredibly effective driver. To do this, we need to focus on what matters. Focusing on what matters includes integrating real-life constructability and compatibility scenarios. This is especially the case for helping AEC professionals who may experience challenges with resources, training, productivity, and more. Without the right focus, you end up with digital paperweights that unfortunately do not serve the need. On the other side of the coin, trying to make something look perfect in software might not translate to a real-life benefit. BIM Content – More than a Download BIM content (especially for manufacturers) has the potential to be so much more than a download. If we don’t focus on the right things, however, we risk losing the forest for the trees. At a base level, a downloaded file is simply another file in someone’s Downloads folder. It says nothing definitive about what someone did with that download or if it worked for their workflow. Therefore, a downloaded file is not a guarantee that a building product manufacturer product was specified in a project. In addition, a downloaded file could make or break the user experience. For manufacturers interested in making efforts in a BIM content strategy, there is a cost not only in inaction. There is also a cost in acting without both a macro and micro focus on the right things. Taking it further, there is a cost without sustained action. So, to consider BIM content more than a download, we need to change our thinking about it. We propose to define the whole concept of manufacturer BIM content a bit differently. We think of BIM content as a digital asset that represents an actual product in more ways than just appearance. Manufacturer BIM content is a digital asset that represents the product in terms of critical dimensions, clearance, performance, adherence to product standards, availability, applicable features, and system applications. Manufacturer BIM content needs to do this while functioning to the best of its ability in the current releases of the intended software and with respect to the product lifecycle. That is quite a lot of pressure on a downloaded file. How do we address this? The Approach Matters If we are not careful, one-size-fits-all approaches and quick fixes are about as fruitful as the claw games at arcades. I am talking about the ones where you put about $5.00 of quarters in only to leave with a low-quality stuffed animal. Or worse, you end up with nothing for the effort. Additionally, in a real-life piping system, a common phrase I learned from working for a manufacturer is that the system is really only as strong as the weakest point. Connections on fittings are often the weakest point (LeVesque, 2017). In the same way, BIM components, especially those meant to connect to pipe and other elements, are potentially the weakest point in your project. Therefore, quality BIM content for manufacturers needs a more thorough and multi-faceted approach to bridge the gap between real-life product scenarios and digital design for better outcomes. The tricky part is defining quality in a way that is not a blanket statement. Several areas may have potential to have “weak points” or deficiencies with respect to many factors. Different AEC professionals place different levels of importance on various things: Introducing the Quality Polygon Score Defining high quality BIM content risks being too subjective if we do not consider a bigger context as well. To visualize something with a more comprehensive lens, we have created the BIM Content Quality Polygon Score, or QPS for short. The QPS is derived from a series of “Yes”/”No” questions. The questions span in a variety of categories pertaining to Geometry, Functionality, Management, User Experience, and Product Data. In addition, there are sixteen sub-categories. Much like the detailed assessments you can get for your car, the QPS is a seventy-five point assessment we use for evaluating BIM content assets and their likelihood of user utilization. Questions within these categories range from “Can you identify the component as a product in multiple ways?” to “Does this component connect with other components at the right places?” and more. “Yes”
ENGworks Global Transition Announcement
ENGworks Global Transition Announcement With over 30 years in the industry, ENGworks has been characterized as adaptable to different circumstances, and this past year has presented us with new opportunities of growth and evolution once again. ENGworks is now ENGworks Global. Where We Have Been In 1989, Chris DiIorio started the consulting business as SimplyCAD, from a dorm room at the University of Illinois Chicago, to bring much needed technology solutions to the AEC/O industry. In 2002, we changed the company name to CADworks in an effort to rebrand and add additional layers to the services we provided. In 2005, the modeling and coordination industry was emerging in California, so CADworks established a presence there. We became the first U.S. based BIM service company to use CADmep in 2008 and have since completed tens of millions of dollars of fabrication work. In 2007 we were certified as a Premier Provider for Autodesk Seek to support the creation of high-quality Autodesk Revit MEP content for Building Product Manufacturers, a service that still represents a significant portion of our business portfolio. As the AEC industry was coming out of the global recession in 2012, CADworks and ENGstudios agreed to bring our respective businesses together under a new banner, ENGworks. In 2014, ENGworks, Inc. and ENGstudios agreed to operate independently but continue to share the same brand identity, ENGworks. Like many companies, 2020 provided us a moment in time to reflect and refocus on our core business offerings. The driving force of the business in 1989 was to push technology into the AEC/O Industry, always striving to make it better, and to bring new and exciting productivity gains to the industry – and we continue to be driven by that passion today! Where We Are Going As a part of this change, ENGworks is undergoing a transition to reinforce our global services and meet client needs more effectively. Our client relationships have provided us an opportunity to offer revolutionary new services and explore new markets. To successfully cater to these new interests, we have decided to shift our company name from ENGworks to ENGworks Global. We now have global personnel and partners to perform in other regions with the same quality and standards we’ve established in Chicago, IL. We are proudly known as the largest MEP content builder in the world and considered the best-of-breed with Building Product Manufacturers. Nothing will change regarding the continuity of our services. Our clients will not recognize any difference, as it only means we have new emails and a domain but the same superior service. We’re incredibly proud of the work that we do at ENGworks Global and thankful for the employees, the partnerships, and the clients that have accompanied us in our growth. We look forward to continuing to support all of our clients and partners in this new journey forward. ENGworks Global – Our Innovation Has No Borders Please also connect with us on our social media platforms below to stay up to date with our announcements. 1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin Back to the Blog Related Posts Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices • August 30, 2022 Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts • May 26, 2022 Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? • May 10, 2022
ENGworks Presents: Content on Demand Product Launch
ENGworks Presents: Content on Demand Product Launch ENGworks is an internationally recognized leader in Building Information Modeling (BIM) services and solutions. One specific area of expertise ENGworks’ Team excels at is BIM Modeling in multiple platforms (Revit, Bentley, CADmep+, amongst others) serving the MEP, Architectural, and Construction community. For over ten years, ENGworks has been developing useful data-rich building blocks for use in the AEC/O industry. Mainly focusing on the design and construction industries as they saw early on, through their own engineering experience, that there was a significant deficiency in quality content. Architects, Engineers, and Contractors are required to utilize 3D and BIM; however, they are not paid to build content. This is where ENGworks Content Creation Services steps in to assist in the timely creation of BIM content. In the past months, ENGworks’ Product Development and Innovation Team have been developing a great solution for AEC/O’s and Product Manufacturers BIM content needs. With that said, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our new product Content on Demand (CoD). What is CoD? Content on Demand (CoD) is a web-based purchase process that allows end-users of native 3D design and construction software to make a request for ENGworks and/or affiliates to build content for use in projects. What does it do? Content On Demand delivers bespoke digital content to build DIGITAL TWINS to maximize the investment into Building Information Modeling. Why it matters? Delivers high-quality design to construction product content for your immediate project requirements. Saves time and money guaranteeing value. Content on Demand delivers personalized and dynamically created BIM Content whenever and wherever your users need them. Why should manufacturers choose us? Manufacturers all over the world understand that BIM objects are now essential. Those without proper content are at risk of being left behind by the next generation of digital natives who don’t know any other way. But don’t worry about buying expensive software to adjust your models. You can do it with us! Expand your market reach and promote your brand Drive traffic to your website Influence business decisions with analytic insight into content use Rely on secure storage and synchronized data Reduce expensive costs associated with BIM content creation Premier Provider certification Why should End Users choose us? Rely on secure storage and synchronized data Reduce expensive costs associated with BIM content creation Premier Provider certification Discovering new products and manufacturers is fast, accurate and easy Search and compare building products based on technical data, ratings, certifications and file type Request your Content on Demand today! Examples of our BIM Content: Please also connect with us on our social media platforms below to stay up to date with our announcements. 1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin Back to the Blog Related Posts Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices • August 30, 2022 Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts • May 26, 2022 Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? • May 10, 2022
ENGworks Webinar Review: Managing BIM Coordination Workflows with Revizto
ENGworks Webinar Review: Managing BIM Coordination Workflows with Revizto With the influx of software in the construction industry, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find one software that meets all the needs of the ever-growing industry. Performing a successful BIM coordination requires a well-tracked clash detection, organization, discipline, consistency, MEP knowledge, and good software to help you deliver all this in one place. Here at ENGworks we have worked with a lot of BIM coordination projects where we had the opportunity to implement Revizto software in different phases of the project’s lifecycle. What is Revizto? Revizto is a real-time issue tracking software for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction with a focus on collaboration and BIM project coordination. It unifies BIM intelligence and makes it immediately accessible and actionable for the entire project team. With Revizto’s advanced Issue Tracker, project team members can identify and manage model-based issues in the 3D space and on 2D sheets, including addressing clash groups from Navisworks. Additionally, Revizto allows users to follow progress or resolve challenges in real-time all while on any device and in VR. Our success at ENGworks with Revizto has been through the Design, Pre-Construction, and Construction phases of the projects. Using Revizto not only helps with the clash detection and issue tracking, but it also helps with the communication between the design, construction, and operations stakeholders. Some additional topics and demos you can find in this webinar: BIM Coordination Workflows Revizto Workflows Export 2D Sheets How to use Revizto for Clash Syncing and Issue Creation Revizto Clash Creation from Navisworks Clash Id Clash Tags Revizto Issue Multi-Edit Functions Clash Reports Dashboards Cloud-Based Platforms Additional Revizto Benefits: Training: There is a lot of training material available online. Revizto has its own training library. Learning Curve: Easy learning curve with the software. Support Team: Fast response time from Revizto’s support team. New Features: Regular addition of new features. As promised, here’s the link to the live webinar recording. We’re sorry for those who couldn’t make it, but we think you can still find it interesting and can watch the recording on your own time. Revizto Library Revizto has a virtual library with its own training and webinars that can help you with your Revizto learning curve. We have collected various of those videos related to our webinar topic that we suggest you watch. Revizto Navisworks Clash Detection Reports & Dashboards Overview Revizto Webinar: Leveraging Revizto During Projects Coordination Revizto Webinar: Get the most our of Revizto Reporting How Can We Help? ENGworks’ team has extensive experience performing BIM Coordination for different projects and applying the Revizto software to enhance the process and communication between the team. We have seen during the years how Revizto has been improving its software for its users’ needs, always staying up to date with the new technology. We are certain about the future of BIM, and we will remain at the forefront of that change. We will continue assisting our clients and colleagues to achieve better workflows and faster turnaround times by adopting the latest technologies and efficient workflow practices. To learn more about our BIM Coordination services, please visit the following links: BIM Coordination Services Design Assist Building Conflict Reporting / Clash Detection BIM for Prefabrication and Fabrication Please also connect with us on our social media platforms below to stay up to date with our announcements. 1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin Back to the Blog Related Posts Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices • August 30, 2022 Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts • May 26, 2022 Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? • May 10, 2022
ENGworks Webinar Review: BIM Content Utilization
ENGworks Webinar Review: BIM Content Utilization In the webinar held on May 27th, 2020, Jim Meseke, Vice President of Global Content Services at ENGworks, shared with us his experience and knowledge with the BIM content creation workflows, techniques, and LOD of the content. Jim emphasizes the importance of the object’s data so that they can relate to each other in the models during its lifecycle. He talks about the benefits of using Autodesk Revit for BIM content creation, because of the object-oriented platform it allows the user to basically get there design elements organized. “Content that’s going to not only look right but is also going to be able to pass data from object to object. That’s really the whole point of BIM, it’s a creation of intelligent objects which speak to each other.” Jim Meseke, VP of Global Content Services at ENGworks A useful tip we can take from Jim is when creating BIM content, it is very important to perform an investigation, asking the right questions. What am I creating? What are the functions of the piece? What components or parameters are required from an engineer versus an architect? All these questions will determine what are the goals with the content. How Can We Help? ENGworks takes great pride in the fabrication database that we have created over the past 10 years. This comprehensive database allows us to extract highly detailed spool drawings to be used in pre-fabrication. Let our experienced fabrication team help you produce accurate shop/fab drawings from our database or one of your own making. We are certain about the future of BIM, and we will remain at the forefront of that change. We will continue assisting our clients and colleagues to achieve better workflows and faster turnaround times by adopting the latest technologies and efficient workflow practices. To learn more about our BIM Content services, please visit the following links: Content Management Content Consulting Content Distribution & Syndication Content for AEC professionals built by AEC professionals Please also connect with us on our social media platforms below to stay up to date with our announcements. How Can We Help? ENGworks takes great pride in the fabrication database that we have created over the past 10 years. This comprehensive database allows us to extract highly detailed spool drawings to be used in pre-fabrication. Let our experienced fabrication team help you produce accurate shop/fab drawings from our database or one of your own making. We are certain about the future of BIM, and we will remain at the forefront of that change. We will continue assisting our clients and colleagues to achieve better workflows and faster turnaround times by adopting the latest technologies and efficient workflow practices. To learn more about our BIM Content services, please visit the following links: Content Management Content Consulting Content Distribution & Syndication Content for AEC professionals built by AEC professionals Please also connect with us on our social media platforms below to stay up to date with our announcements. 1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin Back to the Blog Related Posts Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices • August 30, 2022 Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts • May 26, 2022 Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? • May 10, 2022 How Can We Help? ENGworks takes great pride in the fabrication database that we have created over the past 10 years. This comprehensive database allows us to extract highly detailed spool drawings to be used in pre-fabrication. Let our experienced fabrication team help you produce accurate shop/fab drawings from our database or one of your own making. We are certain about the future of BIM, and we will remain at the forefront of that change. We will continue assisting our clients and colleagues to achieve better workflows and faster turnaround times by adopting the latest technologies and efficient workflow practices. To learn more about our BIM Content services, please visit the following links: Content Management Content Consulting Content Distribution & Syndication Content for AEC professionals built by AEC professionals Please also connect with us on our social media platforms below to stay up to date with our announcements. 1-800-356-8933 info@ENGworksGlobal.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin Back to the Blog Related Posts Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices Elevate Your Workflow – Computer Mouse Devices • August 30, 2022 Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts Visualizing BIM Content Quality and its Impacts • May 26, 2022 Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? Are You Losing Trust in Fabrication Content? • May 10, 2022 Content Development – Uponor A demonstration of how the Uponor building products can be configurated and visualized. Content Development – Uponor A demonstration of how the Uponor building products can be configurated and visualized. Content Development – Uponor A demonstration of how the Uponor building products can be configurated and visualized. https://youtu.be/65lKBQiPjY8 Content Development – Uponor A demonstration of how the Uponor building products can be configurated and visualized. https://youtu.be/65lKBQiPjY8 How Can We Help? ENGworks takes great pride in the fabrication database that we have created over the past 10 years. This comprehensive database allows us to extract highly detailed spool drawings to be used in pre-fabrication. Let our experienced fabrication team help you produce accurate shop/fab drawings from our database or one of your own making. We are certain about the future of BIM, and we will remain at the forefront of that change. We will continue assisting our clients and colleagues to achieve better workflows and faster turnaround times by adopting the latest technologies and efficient workflow practices. To learn more about our BIM Content services, please visit the following links: Content Management Content Consulting Content Distribution & Syndication Content for AEC professionals built by AEC professionals Please also connect with us on our social media platforms below
