What makes a good standard?

2. If the standard is “built-in” and does not require additional thought by the user, than it will be used. • Systems that are simple, obvious, and straight forward will lead to greater adoption. Ie: IPOD. • As Phil Read puts it, every user wants “The quickest way to beer on Friday.” It’s that simple. What makes a good standard? What does it mean to standardize Revit? • The majority of a company’s standard can revolve around a company template. Care should be taken to find the right balance between initial ease of use and your ability to update the standard. • Not only are graphical standards set in a template, but project organization, presentation, materials, content, job tracking, material takeoffs, engineering, project defaults, and settings can all be predefined.

3. Will you need multiple templates specific to disciplines, clients, or project types? • Do you want to place all standard content into your template/s or keep them out to keep the file size down? • How will you manage updates to the standards and templates. Questions to ask before creating a template.

4. Create all of your standard titleblocks • Decide how to standardize cover sheets • Create typical levels, views, and placeholder sheets. • Establish standard schedules and legends • Define some typical browser and sheet organizations, types of views as well. Some basics for project organization Project Browser • Revit Guidelines • Coordination • Exporting • Printing / Documentation • Working / Modeling • Sheets by Discipline

5. Refine and test standard object styles • Customize Revit materials • Review linework settings • Adjust and standardize view settings Guidelines for graphical standards Linework Settings • Line styles, weights, and patterns • Fill patterns and regions • Callout, Elevation, and Section Tags

6. Visibility Graphics Settings • Color Schemes • View Filters • View Templates View Settings

7. Annotation Settings • Standard Text • Loaded Tags • Symbols • Keynotes (How do you approach these?)

8. Annotation Settings • Standard Text • Loaded Tags • Symbols • Keynotes (How do you approach these?)

9. System Families (Walls, Floors, Ceilings, Roofs) • Loadable Families • Generic or Detailed Content? • Do not use families derived from AutoCAD in template • Source files specifically for client, discipline, or building type (3 ways to import) • Transfer Project Standards • Insert from Views • Copy and Paste What content to put in your template

10. Project Parameters • Allow us to assign and organize data • Shared Parameters • Allow us to assign and organize data consistently across files and projects • This is especially important for firms sharing a certain scope of work. Why are parameters important?

11. Track template changes • Keyboard Shortcuts • Considerations for upgrading templates • Default Export Settings Miscellaneous items to consider • Leave some default values for tags • Grids, sheets, doors, windows, rooms, text styles, dimension styles • Leave default object types • Walls, Floors, Ceilings, Roofs, etc. • Run a purge and organize (minimize) the project browser