The Evolution of ArchiCAD

On Tuesday December 3rd we broadcast my conversation with a few ArchiCAD experts (Jared Banks of Shoegnome and the BIM Engine Blog, Apollo Spiliotis of ArchiCAD Monkey, as well as architects Andrew Passacantando and Jack Suben) in a free Google Hangout on Air. We had a lot of fun talking about how ArchiCAD has changed over the years, and speculating about what’s coming up in the future.

You can watch this discussion on my YouTube channel, or right here:

This is a follow-up to our popular broadcast in September “ArchiCAD 17 – A Game Changer”. We’re enjoying these gatherings so much that we’re planning to meet every 2 or 3 months. Have any ideas or suggestions for what we might focus on next time? Drop us a line, or post a comment.

I feel this is a great way to build the community of ArchiCAD users from around the world, a virtual user group of sorts. In fact, I’ve set up a website for the ArchiCAD User Group Online, and will add more resources to it over time. If you have any ideas for how to make this website interesting, fun and useful, please email me or post a comment or suggestion below.

Special LIVE Event Wed. Sept. 11 at 6 pm PDT – 3 ArchiCAD Experts Hangout and talk about ArchiCAD 17!

Join 3 Top ArchiCAD Experts tomorrow in a special event:
Free YouTube Hangout…the first time ever!

Tomorrow night I’ll be hosting a special live event, a free YouTube Hangout on Air with fellow ArchiCAD experts Jared Banks and Apollo Spiliotis.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS LIVE EVENT:
Wednesday September 11 at 6 pm PDT (U.S. Pacific Time)

This is groundbreaking in two different ways: it’s the first time I’m using Google’s Hangout on Air tool, and it’s also the first time that the three of us have had a chance to discuss ArchiCAD together. Plus, we’re going to talk about ArchiCAD 17, which changes a lot about how BIM works!

In a Hangout on Air, the event is livestreamed with webcams, so you’ll see us, each in our separate home offices. You’ll also be able to type in questions and comments in a chat box, so it’s going to be interactive, and a whole lot of fun!

ARCHICAD 17 – A GAME CHANGER!

ArchiCAD 17 introduces some ground-breaking technologies. How does this change the BIM software landscape?

ArchiCAD continues to increase in popularity as evidenced by social media. Followers, fans and views are growing at an impressive rate. Where is this going, and what does it say about the future prospects of Graphisoft and ArchiCAD?

For the first time ever, three of the top ArchiCAD experts in the world hang out together – join us for this special event!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS LIVE ONLINE EVENT:
Wednesday September 11 at 6 pm PDT (U.S. Pacific Time)

ABOUT THE PANEL

• Jared Banks, AIA is an architect and well-known ArchiCAD expert. He runs Shoegnome.com and writes constantly about ArchiCAD, BIM and the intersection between technology and architectural design. His ArchiCAD tutorial channel on YouTube is approaching the 100,000 view milestone.
• Apollo Spiliotis is an architect, veteran ArchiCAD user, information-sharing addict, and technology enthusiast based in New York City. He is also the creator of archiCADMonkey, a blog where he shares exciting news, tutorials and interviews of luminaries from the design & tech world.
• Eric Bobrow is an internationally recognized expert on ArchiCAD. His ArchiCAD Tutorials YouTube channel recently passed the 1 Million Views milestone, and his Best Practices Course and ArchiCAD Coaching Programs help 1,100+ users from 65 countries to use ArchiCAD more effectively.

This event will be recorded and posted on my YouTube Channel, but it’s definitely more fun when you watch it “live”. I hope you can join us!

Eric Bobrow

P.S. In case you didn’t notice, I posted my 41st ArchiCAD tutorial on my YouTube Channel last week, a 25 minute explanation and demonstration of how the new interface for ArchiCAD 17 differs from previous versions:

ArchiCAD Tutorial | ArchiCAD 17 New Interface

This video is excerpted from the Best Practices Course, so course members may view it within the members area along with LOTS of other training resources.

ArchiCAD has 90,000 fans, my channel has 200,000 views – let’s celebrate ArchiCAD!

The ArchiCAD page on Facebook now has more than 90,000 fans. In February 2011 I remarked in a blog post how awesome it was that there were 15,000 fans for ArchiCAD – now it’s 6 times as awesome!

We are NOT alone – in fact we’re in good company – there are tens of thousands of ArchiCAD-lovers around the world.

I don’t have 90,000 fans myself, but I’m pretty proud of the fact that my ArchiCAD Tutorials YouTube channel has 191,727 views as of this moment. I’m expecting it to reach 200,000 views within the next few days! I invite you to join my 937 subscribers so you get notified whenever I post another one of my free ArchiCAD tutorials.

In celebration of these milestones, I’m uploading some more free content onto my channel – so YouTube will have the first 6 lessons from my QuickStart Course. This 29 lesson course teaches the basics of using ArchiCAD, but it’s not only for new users. I’ve had veteran users watch some of the lessons and comment “when did they add that feature?” and “I never realized you could do it THAT way… cool!”

CELEBRATE WITH ME – BOTH ARCHICAD TRAINING COURSES ON SALE NOW

PLUS – I’m putting both of my courses on sale for this week.

You can sign up for the complete QuickStart Course (13 hours of easy-to-follow video lessons) for only $127, or two payments of $67.

OR… you can go for the whole enchilada – the entire Best Practices Course, with over 60 hours of high-quality material (including the entire QuickStart Course) for only $597, a savings of $100 – or get in today for only $97 per month on the convenient extended payment plan.

The Best Practices Course has one more EXTRA special feature as a free bonus – a complete ArchiCAD Coaching Program. When you register for Best Practices, you can send in your questions any time to me, and I’ll answer them during one of my live webinar training calls. These 90 minute sessions are held 3 times each month at different times of day to accommodate viewers from all over the world (sometimes we’ve had 5 continents represented on one call – whew!) and are also recorded for later viewing.

For more info, or to sign up during this special sale, please visit:

• The QuickStart Course – ArchiCAD basic training lessons
• The Best Practices Course – Comprehensive ArchiCAD training videos and ArchiCAD coaching program

If you’d like to gain more mastery of ArchiCAD, check out my courses.

They’ll give you tremendous benefit, and help you get the most out of our favorite BIM software!

Eric Bobrow

P.S. These special offers run through March 31, 2012.

TOPIC: ArchiCAD social media, ArchiCAD training

More free ArchiCAD tutorials posted on Best Practices site

As part of my celebration of the first anniversary of the Best Practices Course, I’ve posted two more of my best tutorials, along with new case studies of successful course members. Check them out on the course website here:
http://www.acbestpractices.com/my-favorite-archicad-tutorial/

I’ll be sharing my own personal story next, in the post titled Turning Point, coming very soon. This time I’ll face the camera and talk about some amazing twists and turns in my personal and professional life, and how they relate to passion, the pursuit of excellence, and doing what you love. I just recorded the live video, and I know you’re going to enjoy it when I finish getting it ready!

The One Year Anniversary of the Best Practices Course

Wow! It’s been a whole year since I launched the Best Practices Course. During that time, 543 people have joined the course or the QuickStart Course (my special set of lessons on the basics of ArchiCAD), from a total of 49 countries. Incredible!

I’m celebrating by sharing some of my best tutorials for FREE for the next little while. You can find them by visiting the web page for my 7 Keys to Best Practices ArchiCAD training series.

If you haven’t been there recently, you’ll need to opt-in to my email list to get to the videos, but don’t worry – I’ll only use it to send you more free ArchiCAD tutorials and information about the Best Practices Course. And if you’re already getting my emails, our system will make sure you don’t get duplicate notices.

In addition to my classic 45 minute training on seven key principles that will help you use ArchiCAD more effectively, I’ll also be sharing updated versions of some of my most popular and powerful tips and tricks. My “Quick Change” tutorial on changing Window and Door ID’s is only 5 minutes long, yet it saved one client over two hours work on a single project!

PLUS – there will be case studies on a number of ArchiCAD users who are doing amazing work after honing their technique using my Best Practices methods, and I’ll tell some personal stories as well.

So hurry on down to check these out while they’re posted, and tell your ArchiCAD-using friends!