I have a friend who is in the thick of a dilemma. She works for a firm who is currently transitioning from CAD to BIM. She pushed the firm leaders for a several years for this transition and it only came about when they hired someone in at a higher level in the firm hierarchy. (Both of them are licensed and members of the AIA) This other staff member was tasked with developing a BIM template to be used for all future projects. They have several projects going now that are founded on this template.
Problem is that within all of these project files the initials of the previous firm the new employee worked for is showing up....Text names, view names, family names, wall types, buried in properties on various families, etc. It is of her belief that the template was simple taken. The nature of work the other firm does would not seem to allow an open or free information policy, so it is likely to have happened without permission.
She has brought this to the attention of the principles, but it appears as though no action is being taken by them. They have recognized its an issue and have asked her to simply remove references when found.
Does her responsibility end there? Does knowing that a 'crime' occurred and not escalating it beyond the firm heads make her guilty by proxy?
Any opinion would be valuable.
citizen
Jun 7, 17 5:31 pm
I'd make sure I have documentation that I'd notified someone in authority. Then I'd leave it alone, unless I was angling for a job at that other firm.
nicholass817
Jun 7, 17 6:35 pm
The "Code of Ethics" extends beyond employment in her eyes. I think knowing there is a potential for copyright theft and not doing anything is affecting the good Samaritan in her.
chigurh
Jun 7, 17 6:40 pm
Anybody that ever leaves an office takes the standards with them if they are worth anything...a crime yes, but enforceable..slim chance. Bummer they were too lazy to change all the annotations to remove "former firm name", but it's way too late now if there are multiple projects active under that template. What do you propose? Its like a virus that won't go away and people are way to busy to fish out all of the old name bullshit you are concerned about. My suggestion is to make a new template from scratch and use that for all projects moving forward - let sleeping dogs lie.
Non Sequitur
Jun 7, 17 6:53 pm
^quite a few hours... could be hundreds if it includes families, wall assemblies, graphic and title block standards, view filters, etc. I'd be warry if the principle is ok using another offices work as their template, specially since the Original owner's finger prints are visible.
S W
Jun 10, 17 9:50 pm
If you've made templates before making them again for new organisational needs will be faster, and obviously better as they will be tailored to the new firm and a different work culture. It hopefully is an inclusive practice with shared knowledge and purpose to enable your own job function.
This is assuming you were the person who made the originals and know what you are doing.
.
b3tadine[sutures]
Jun 10, 17 11:06 pm
Funny, no one ever thinks about the amount of work put into the AGS, before they crib the shit out of that book.
nabrU
Jun 10, 17 11:13 pm
is that the equivalent of the Metric Handbook localised for America betadine?
I have a friend who is in the thick of a dilemma. She works for a firm who is currently transitioning from CAD to BIM. She pushed the firm leaders for a several years for this transition and it only came about when they hired someone in at a higher level in the firm hierarchy. (Both of them are licensed and members of the AIA) This other staff member was tasked with developing a BIM template to be used for all future projects. They have several projects going now that are founded on this template.
Problem is that within all of these project files the initials of the previous firm the new employee worked for is showing up....Text names, view names, family names, wall types, buried in properties on various families, etc. It is of her belief that the template was simple taken. The nature of work the other firm does would not seem to allow an open or free information policy, so it is likely to have happened without permission.
She has brought this to the attention of the principles, but it appears as though no action is being taken by them. They have recognized its an issue and have asked her to simply remove references when found.
Does her responsibility end there? Does knowing that a 'crime' occurred and not escalating it beyond the firm heads make her guilty by proxy?
Any opinion would be valuable.
I'd make sure I have documentation that I'd notified someone in authority. Then I'd leave it alone, unless I was angling for a job at that other firm.
The "Code of Ethics" extends beyond employment in her eyes. I think knowing there is a potential for copyright theft and not doing anything is affecting the good Samaritan in her.
Anybody that ever leaves an office takes the standards with them if they are worth anything...a crime yes, but enforceable..slim chance. Bummer they were too lazy to change all the annotations to remove "former firm name", but it's way too late now if there are multiple projects active under that template. What do you propose? Its like a virus that won't go away and people are way to busy to fish out all of the old name bullshit you are concerned about. My suggestion is to make a new template from scratch and use that for all projects moving forward - let sleeping dogs lie.
^quite a few hours... could be hundreds if it includes families, wall assemblies, graphic and title block standards, view filters, etc. I'd be warry if the principle is ok using another offices work as their template, specially since the Original owner's finger prints are visible.
If you've made templates before making them again for new organisational needs will be faster, and obviously better as they will be tailored to the new firm and a different work culture. It hopefully is an inclusive practice with shared knowledge and purpose to enable your own job function.
This is assuming you were the person who made the originals and know what you are doing.
.
Funny, no one ever thinks about the amount of work put into the AGS, before they crib the shit out of that book.
is that the equivalent of the Metric Handbook localised for America betadine?