Software Ideas

[ProCore1978]

Hi guys! Hoping that someone can help with my questions as they may become multi-layered......

First, I have not purchased Chief Architect yet but we have ideas on using a program where customers can visit our design center. Q- Is Chief Architect user friendly? 

And... Would it be compatible with a big touchscreen for usage? 

[DavidJPotter]

Chief Architect is easy to learn, especially in terms of floor plans and space planning. It is also VERY sophisticated and takes time to learn ALL its tools and features, like any other professional grade Architectural 3D Modeling software. I have heard from other users that it is generally easier and more user-friendly than for instance, Archicad, Softplan, Architectural Desktop and Revit. I went from pencil and drawing board straight to Chief back in the mid-nineties so I tend to be biased.

I am an older person so I never got into the touchscreen thing (the first thing I did on my new laptop is to turn that "feature" off). Many users do use their touch screens but only for presentations, not editing the 3D Model so when you say "compatible" you would need to be a little more specific for a certain answer.

 

DJP

[RL-inc]

Agreed with David.

I had never used any computer design software before purchasing CA9 and found it very easy to generate basic floor plans and models. But as mentioned above it is  professional design software with great capabilities that take years to master. 

I doubt you could find anyone on this forum that would say they don't learn some new feature or use for a tool no matter how experienced they are.

 

All that said, CA ability to quickly change materials like cabinet colors, countertops, tile, etc....are great for showing clients different options. 

[cv2702]

When you mention your clients visiting your design center, what do you envisage them doing on their own with CA?

 

I could see your clients, for example, navigating a 3D walkthrough of the plans you prepared for them.  For this you could set up  a complementary tool to CA, the standalone 3D viewer, along with some basic overview of how to use it.

 

From my limited personal experience, I don't see a client using CA itself.  It's a technically complex piece of software that would mostly get your clients in trouble and lower their satisfaction level.

[RL-inc]

I don't see having clients use CA- opens to door for too many headaches trying to teach someone how to use software that we have spent years working on. No way that ends up well.

 

In general I don't have clients watch me work - too much wasted time on " what would it look like if we did this or that".

 

I think the best way to approach it is to offer some different options that you have created and show them to your client in a controlled environment.

Then get feedback- make revisions without client interference and meet again to discuss.

 

As for CA ability to produce what you want- see attached for corporate approval rendering for Jenn-Air demonstration kitchen renovation we did.

 

[johnny]

I'm not trying to be a naysayer but my experience is Chief Architect has been one of the most difficult applications to "fully" learn.  90% of what you will do in Chief will feel incredibly "user friendly" - but the last 10% to complete a project can be very challenging - this app can both amaze and frustrate like no other.

 

[HumbleChief]

21 hours ago, johnny said:

I'm not trying to be a naysayer but my experience is Chief Architect has been one of the most difficult applications to "fully" learn.  90% of what you will do in Chief will feel incredibly "user friendly" - but the last 10% to complete a project can be very challenging - this app can both amaze and frustrate like no other.

 

+1

 

Been using Chief for almost 20 years and it is, by far, the most difficult program I have ever tried to learn. Still do not understand many approaches Chief uses for its design approach but this simply comes down to how each of our brains tackle problems and looks for solutions. Chief looks in places I would not logically look but some people find its paradigms and solutions just great. Still the best program for my business but takes a very long time to fully learn - for me.

 

Looking at your OP and your question about Chief being user friendly and to summarize my above diatribe. Yes Chief is user friendly - for some - and quite unfriendly for others, like myself.

[RL-inc]

I think one of the things that made CA easier fro me to grasp was that I viewed it as just building a house- only in a different format.

I never had any sort of formal AutoCAD training or similar experience to skew my perception of how design software was supposed to work.

Not to say that I have it mastered by any stretch - but I just really open a new project and start building as I saw it in the field all those years.