I'm a Software Engineering student in Peru, and I'm doing research about topics or current issues that I can take as a topic for my bachelor thesis. A topic I'm currently interested, because of a personal experience, is document and version control in architecture (I was studying for an Architecture degree many years ago but dropped out. Nonetheless, I'm very fond of architects).
An interview with a relatively big architecture firm in Peru gives me the impression that version control in architecture is a pending issue. Searching for the situation in Internet, I found this website, and reading one post in this forum from 2013 (http://archinect.com/forum/thread/73189137/source-version-control) I can see the problem can occur also worldwide.
Searching for solutions, I found that software for document and version control aimed to CAD documents and workflow already exists, for example Autodesk Vault, or that other, AutoEDMS: http://www.acssoftware.com/html/version_6_5_sr5.html. That software features version control, user control, workflow management with revisions and transmittals, reports, etc, that I think can solve this problem. Is a generic program (not architecture-specialized) and it hasn't the best user interface, but it seems to be an improvement. (You can download a detailed brochure and a EXE-distributed video in this link)
My question is: as of 2014, is version control in architecture still an issue worldwide? If yes, why do you think it is, if software to tackle this problem already exists (apparently) as I can see ? Is a problem of unawareness of available software? User interface/experience? Lack of specific features that architects needs? Price? Habit? Lack of commitment from management? In general, is more a problem of software (solution design) or management (solution implementation)?
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PD: On the Internet, what are the most well-know architecture forums where I can continue inquiring?
A great question. Why don't you look at an actual architect's body of wok and tell us how the regimes of version control that are available in software don't accurately reflect architectural production?
If you can figure out an easy way to implement version control for architecture, it would be hugely beneficial. But that is, as they say, a Difficult Problem. Unlike with software, there is no central "codebase" for the design of the project, particularly in the early (conceptua/schematic) stages. BIM software like Revit seeks to remedy this, but BIM software is horrible for doing design work, so it generally doesn't get used that way.
Mar 31, 14 2:55 am ·
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Situation of Version Control software in architecture.
Hello,
I'm a Software Engineering student in Peru, and I'm doing research about topics or current issues that I can take as a topic for my bachelor thesis. A topic I'm currently interested, because of a personal experience, is document and version control in architecture (I was studying for an Architecture degree many years ago but dropped out. Nonetheless, I'm very fond of architects).
An interview with a relatively big architecture firm in Peru gives me the impression that version control in architecture is a pending issue. Searching for the situation in Internet, I found this website, and reading one post in this forum from 2013 (http://archinect.com/forum/thread/73189137/source-version-control) I can see the problem can occur also worldwide.
Searching for solutions, I found that software for document and version control aimed to CAD documents and workflow already exists, for example Autodesk Vault, or that other, AutoEDMS: http://www.acssoftware.com/html/version_6_5_sr5.html. That software features version control, user control, workflow management with revisions and transmittals, reports, etc, that I think can solve this problem. Is a generic program (not architecture-specialized) and it hasn't the best user interface, but it seems to be an improvement. (You can download a detailed brochure and a EXE-distributed video in this link)
My question is: as of 2014, is version control in architecture still an issue worldwide? If yes, why do you think it is, if software to tackle this problem already exists (apparently) as I can see ? Is a problem of unawareness of available software? User interface/experience? Lack of specific features that architects needs? Price? Habit? Lack of commitment from management? In general, is more a problem of software (solution design) or management (solution implementation)?
-----
PD: On the Internet, what are the most well-know architecture forums where I can continue inquiring?
A great question. Why don't you look at an actual architect's body of wok and tell us how the regimes of version control that are available in software don't accurately reflect architectural production?
If you can figure out an easy way to implement version control for architecture, it would be hugely beneficial. But that is, as they say, a Difficult Problem. Unlike with software, there is no central "codebase" for the design of the project, particularly in the early (conceptua/schematic) stages. BIM software like Revit seeks to remedy this, but BIM software is horrible for doing design work, so it generally doesn't get used that way.
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