The

Best Practices Course Outline and Road Map

www.acbestpractices.com - Eric Bobrow 2011

Week #1
The 7 Keys to Best Practices

Overview of the 7 Keys

In Depth: Keys 1 through 5

In Depth: Keys 6 & 7

Week #2
Get Organized

Set Up A Standard Project Folder

Create A Project Template (TPL) File

Developing A Template File

Week #3
Get More Organized

Mind Mapping the Template Concept

Optimizing Your Template

Library Management
Week #4
Library Mngmt & Migrating Projects

ArchiCAD 10, 11 & 12 Library Management

AC 13 Lib. Management & Migrating A Project

AC 14 Lib. Management & Complex Migration

Week #5
General Notes & Specifications

Using Microsoft Word and PDF

Using Word and PDF on Larger Sheets

General Notes and Your Template

Week #6
Save Your Favorite Settings

Introduction to Favorites

Managing Favorites

Modules for typical rooms and arrangements

Tip: Parameter Transfer

Week #7
Interactive Legends

Interactive Legends Basic Setup

Advanced Setup using a Worksheet

Additional Variations and Applications

Week #8
ArchiCAD's Structure: The Navigator, Part 1

Project Map / View Map which should you use?

Using Layers and Views to their Full Potential

What are Clone Folders and why use them

Tip: Quick Layers Palette

Week #9
ArchiCAD's Structure: Guiding Principles

Model in 3D well so you can draw in 2D less

Work from the General to the Specific

Record Your Design Intent using proper referencing and

anchoring
Week #10 Conceptual Design Strategies

How to start: Lines, Fills, Zones, Walls or Mass Model?

Program Planning areas and lists of spaces

Early modeling approaches massing vs. pseudo-detail,

color palettes
Week #11 Site Topography and Site Planning

Importing DWG & PDF into a worksheet

Building a Mesh to Optimum Effect

Site Development defining site boundaries, placing the

building, adding roadwork, terrain grading
Week #12 Building Your Model

Alignment and Relationship: Guides, Trace, Temporary

Elements

Effective Ways to Work in 3D and Sections

Navigation speed tricks

Week #13 Working With Roofs

Roof construction on a single level

Complex roofs with multiple levels and/or plate heights

Flat roofs and parapets

Week #14 Complex Modeling

Solid Element Operations

Complex Profiles and non-vertical walls

Introduction to Curtain Walls, Trussmaker, Roofmaker

Week #15 Complex Projects

Split levels, multi-story walls, clerestory conditions

Multi-building

Hotlinked Modules
Week #16 Strategies for Remodel Projects

Using two separate PLN files for the as-built and new
designs

One PLN: Duplicating stories vs. using different layer

combinations on the same story

Hotlinking the as-built model into the new project file

Week #17 Managing Attributes, Project Preferences,
Work Environment

Defining Materials, Composites etc.

Attribute Manager

Model View Options, Dimensions

Project Preferences vs. Work Environment Settings

Week #18 Creating custom library parts

Creating a simple 2D or 3D part; creating custom door

panels

Simple GDL editing for parameterization of materials

Creating a hybrid part 3D with custom 2D

Import DWG, 3DS, SketchUp, IFC to create library parts

Week #19 Managing and Optimizing
Live Sections and Elevations

Clean modeling to create clean drawings

Adding detail in 3D and 2D

Update strategies
Week #20 ArchiCAD's Structure: The Navigator, Part 2

Layout Book

Publisher

Project Chooser
Week #21 Detail Drawings

Creating details, placing and referencing them

Management placeholders, updating, rescaling,

replacing

Reusable details and sheets, detail libraries

Week #22 Project Data

Interactive Schedules basic usage

Interactive Schedules additional options

Introduction to Quantity Take-offs

Week #23 In-office Project Management

Redline & Markup

Spell Checking

Use of Virtual Trace for version & revision comparison

Week #24 Collaboration

Introduction to Teamwork

More Teamwork

IFC file exchange

Week #25 Collaboration and Communication

DWG import and export

Project Reviewer

Virtual Building Explorer

Week #26 Backup and Migration Strategies

Autosave vs. Manual Save

Backup sensible redundancy

Migration over the years

Week #27 Large Project Strategies

Teamwork vs. Hotlinked Modules

Managing complexity via layers, 3d window filters,

marquee

Reducing polygons and file size

Week #28 Conclusion

Review of the Best Practices Course

Words of Wisdom

What's Ahead