AU 2025: Your Thrive Guide By Shaan Hurley Welcome to my annual Autodesk University Thrive Guide, compiled and written to help you thrive, not just survive the Autodesk Design & Make event of the year. Whether it’s your first AU or your 30th, showing up prepared makes all the difference. AU 2025 lands in Nashville this September, bringing together thousands of professionals across AEC, D&M, M&E, and beyond. With AI front and center and 500+ sessions on the schedule, there’s a lot to take in, but also a lot of opportunity. This guide will help you cut through the noise, prioritize what matters, and make the most of your time in Music City. Read more →

Design and construction software isn’t cheap. And it shouldn’t be—when it works, it pays for itself. But measuring value isn’t always straightforward. You’re not just buying features. You’re investing in time saved, risk avoided, and work that flows smoother between teams. Here’s how to figure out if your software is actually pulling its weight. Read more →

AEC software is a major investment. When it’s working well, it saves time, improves coordination, and helps deliver better projects. But many firms end up paying for features they don’t use, managing frustrating bugs, or relying on file formats that make switching difficult. This isn’t about blaming vendors. It’s about building stronger partnerships—so the tools you rely on deliver for your teams, and the vendors understand what success looks like on your side. Read more →

If you’ve driven past 27th Street lately, you’ve seen it—Bend’s new Stevens Ranch Library is rising fast. Construction is really moving. The main structure is up, and crews are making steady progress toward what’s going to be a beautiful and much-needed 100,000 sq feet community space. The temporarily closed stretch of 27th Street should reopen soon, which will be a big relief for those of us who’ve been dodging detours for the past several months. While we still don’t have an official opening date, the exterior is looking close to done. And what has me excited? The mass timber design inside. I haven’t seen it in person yet, but judging by the plans and the early renderings, this is going to be one of the most architecturally interesting public buildings in Bend. Read more →

You don’t eliminate risk -you manage it. That starts early and never really stops. Here’s how to stay ahead of the problems that cost time, money, and your reputation. Read more →

There was a time when using design software meant translating every thought into a dozen clicks. Menus within menus. Keyboard shortcuts only power users remembered or programmed into a 16 button mouse. You had to wrestle your tools into submission before you could even begin to create. But today’s tools are catching up—not just in how they look, but in how they think. Read more →

Big news in the AEC world this week—Motif has officially launched. Their Blog Post: https://motif.io/blog.html Led by Amar Hanspal, Brian Mathews, Matt Jezyk, and Lira Nikolovska, this team is no stranger to solving industry challenges. I’ve had the privilege of... Read more →

Happy New Year from Between the Lines and Cascade Technology Consulting! As we usher in 2025, I want to take a moment to thank my amazing clients who helped make 2024 such a fulfilling year. Your trust and collaboration have been instrumental in driving meaningful transformations, and I am excited to continue our partnerships as we move into this new year. Read more →

Having been both a customer and user of Autodesk products, and as a member of product teams, I’ve had the unique experience of seeing things from both perspectives. I’ve been the voice of the customer, advocating for their needs, interpreting their sentiment, and translating real-world use cases into product strategy. Whether you’re a startup or scaling up, here are some lessons that might help you focus on what really matters. Read more →

Computer-aided design remains one of the indistinguishable tools in mechanical and industrial design. Well, Windows has always been on pole position as far as computer-aided design is concerned because of its comprehensive computer-aided design packages. Mac users are therefore left with few native applications to choose from. The tides, however, are changing. Driven by increasingly powerful Mac hardware, developers are bringing professional-grade CAD solutions to the Mac operating system. Two of those leading the charge include Shapr3D and Autodesk Fusion 360. This blog post will briefly explore these two native CAD solutions for Macs, showcasing their features and capabilities and how they will increasingly change the design workflow for professionals and amateurs alike. Read more →

If you're an AUGI member who attended #AUGICON24, you should have received an email this morning containing instructions on how to access the video replays of our AUGICON 2024 event. You'll also be joining our new AUGI Community Platform! Not... Read more →

A few years ago in 2015, I wrote on this blog about the changing of the carpet design in the Portland Oregon International Airport. PDX Carpet Designs in AutoCAD DWG The new design was confusing and not iconic and fun like the classic design. Wikipedia on the PDX carpet design Well, roll forward to 2024 and they have finally heard my complaint, or the many others and are now returning to installing the old classic design carpet.The classic design was based on the airport’s North and South runways as seen by air traffic controllers at night in a nerdy artistic way. Read more →

In 1-hour, AUGI CON24 Day 2 begins with a fantastic lineup of speakers, including special guest Shaun C Bryant! I will be leading an 8-person AEC Software Industry panel later in the day and there are many great live sessions... Read more →

Mentoring is a powerful tool for professional growth and development, especially in the fast-paced and ever-evolving fields of design and technology. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting, having a mentor can provide invaluable guidance, support, and insights to grow and prosper as a person and in your career. Read more →

Esri and Autodesk have formed a strategic alliance to integrate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM). Read more →

I’m leading a panel on AEC Industry Software at AUGI CON 2024 on the 2nd day. This 90-minute panel is not aimed at marketing or sales pitches, nor will it be a debate. Instead, it is designed to be an informative and engaging 90-minute discussion that highlights various perspectives and experiences from industry experts and software developers. Our goal is to provide our live audience, primarily AEC software users, with valuable insights into the evolution of AEC software, its current challenges, innovative solutions, and a look into what the future holds.To ensure the session is as enriching and informative as possible, we are assembling a group of panelists (AEC Software, AEC Startups, and AEC Industry Experts) who can contribute unique viewpoints on these topics. Read more →

Digital transformation is sweeping through the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, bringing new technologies like building information modeling (BIM), reality capture, AI, XR, digital twins, generative design, cloud, automation, and data analytics. While these innovations offer exciting opportunities to boost... Read more →

SolidWorks 1995 marked the debut of SolidWorks as a computer-aided design (CAD) software. Being the first release, it laid the foundation for what would become a widely used tool in the engineering and design industries. Read more →

Explore how AI is revolutionizing architectural design, enhancing human creativity, and paving the way for sustainable, efficient buildings. Discover the challenges and potential of AI in architecture. Read more →

Explore the intersection of customer journeys and digital transformation in the AEC and manufacturing sectors. This blog post digs into how technologists, CAD, and BIM designers can enhance customer experiences and streamline processes through innovative digital strategies. Learn about integrating advanced technologies, customer-centric design, and the latest trends in CAD/BIM for improved project outcomes. Perfect for professionals in architecture, engineering, construction, and manufacturing looking to stay ahead in a digitally evolving landscape. Read more →

This Virtual Autodesk support assistant, offers tips, automation help, and coached training for Autodesk products. It uses content from the web and learnings abstracted from that to offer helpful info to trouble shoot issues or learn new skills for Autodesk products like AutoCAD, Fusion 360, and Revit. I also created several other assistants including one for SolidWorks and one to give love advice from a Dung Beetle named Lovebug. Read more →

What is Extended Reality (XR)? The advent of XR has been very helpful for many industries, including Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) and also Manufacturing. XR technology is revolutionizing the way we design, construct, and manage buildings and infrastructure, facilitating better communication, enhancing collaboration, inspection, and increasing overall productivity and efficiency. Read more →

Are you as excited about the latest tech trends as I am? One trend in the digital transformation of industries that's got me on the edge of my seat is Digital Twins. These virtual replicas can transform the way we work in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) world and the data we use to inform decisions and drive design. Let's dive in! Read more →

Is there still a future for flat two dimensional (2D) writing or drawings, yes. 2D drawings and written communication have been around since the beginning of time as evidenced on cave walls and papyrus. Today many use these flat 2D methods based on needs, medium, cost, and effort and will continue to rely on them, even in design using CAD (Computer Aided Design). CAD has dramatically changed the way we design and develop products, structures, and systems. CAD software today is more focused on 3D modeling, enabling engineers and designers to create three-dimensional representations of their ideas. However, amidst the dominance of 3D CAD, the question arises: Is there a future for 2D CAD? Read more →

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is one of the most rapidly evolving industries of the 21st century, and to me, it is feeling like the speed is accelerating. With the introduction of AI (Artificial Intelligence), the industry is... Read more →