AutoCAD Insider

Request from Autodesk Marketing Team

The Autodesk Marketing team is looking for your help:

The Autodesk marketing team is looking to conduct usability testing. If you are willing to take a screen capture of your desktop, please email it with "AutoCAD Desktop Image" as the subject along with the signed release form by October 16th. The screen capture of your desktop will be used to assess if newly developed icons are unique and can be identified on cluttered desktop.

Who Should Participate?

Users with the any or all of the following program(s)

• Desktop should show AutoCAD 2009, 2010 launch icons. System in the task bar.
• Desktop should show Revit 2009, 2010 launch icons. System in the task bar.
• Desktop should show Inventor 2008, 2010 launch icons. System in the task bar.

The Autodesk marketing team greatly appreciates your help.

Autodesk Sustainable Design Survey

The Autodesk Simulation User Experience Team would appreciate your feedback on the relative importance of different types of energy analysis data during the early conceptual design phase of a project.  The survey should take less than ten minutes to complete.

Who Should Participate?
Architects, Designers, Energy Analysts, Mechanical Engineers focusing on HVAC, and those who are doing design work with a focus on sustainability. Please forward this survey to any colleagues in these roles who may be interested.

Survey link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=PPR_2fCiIHq_2fueXqmnVoyUlw_3d_3d

Survey will be active: June 1 – 8, 2009.
 
Thanks!
Autodesk Simulation User Experience Team

Attention AutoCAD 2010 Beta Participants

If you participated in the AutoCAD 2010 beta, the design team would appreciate your participation in a survey regarding new hatch functionality:

Dear User of the AutoCAD 2010 (Beta) or AutoCAD 2010- based vertical product!

In AutoCAD 2010, some improvements were made to the Hatch feature.  We need your help in determining the importance of additional hatch improvements.

AutoCAD Product Design and Usability Group is running a research study on the Hatch Ranking  and the Use of Hatch  experience.

Who Should Participate?
Users who create and apply hatches to objects and models in AutoCAD 2010 (Beta).
(Please don’t participate if you have not used Hatch in AutoCAD 2010).

How To Participate?
If you think you are qualified,  please help us to rank the importance of Hatch improvements by submitting  the Hatch Ranking Survey.

Hatch Ranking Survey could be accessed via this link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=pm_2fYJE80gDC_2fhssgereMkA_3d_3d

This Survey is available : February 3-18, 2009

We greatly appreciate your input and help!-
AutoCAD Product Design and Usability Group.

Survey request from the AutoCAD team

The AutoCAD Product Design and Usability team is running a research study on the materials and rendering user experience and they're looking for feedback. This is an opportunity for you to help drive the direction of AutoCAD!

Who Should Participate?
Users who create and apply materials & textures for rendering models in AutoCAD or other applications.
Some questions are AutoCAD-specific but input from experience with other applications is welcome.

How To Participate?
Respond to the materials survey, which is accessible February 2-15, 2009.

The AutoCAD Product Design and Usability team greatly appreciates your input!

Make a wish with AUGI!

There are many ways to influence the future of AutoCAD (and other Autodesk applications), but one of the easiest and most powerful is to cast your vote on the AUGI (Autodesk User Group International) wishlist. The AUGI wishlist is the first place the AutoCAD development team looks as they're planning future AutoCAD functionality. Below is a special "wishlist" announcement from AUGI. Not an AUGI member? Why not? It's free!!!

Dear AUGI Member,

Time is running out. Take this opportunity to cast your vote for the features you’d most like to see in future versions of AutoCAD, Inventor, Civil 3D and Revit Architecture. These wish list ballots are now open, and will remain so until March 10, 2008. You have the opportunity to review and vote on the wishes posted by your fellow AUGI members for improvements they would like to see in future releases of AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD Civil 3D and AutoCAD Revit Architecture software. All you need to do is vote for your top 10!

It's Easy
The voting process is now easier than ever. Wishes have been categorized so you can quickly find the features on which you want to cast a vote. Then just rank your votes from 1 (the improvement you feel most strongly about) to 10. It’s that simple!

It's Valuable
The Wish List was established years ago because Autodesk saw the enormous value in getting feedback on its products from the people using these products every day. That tradition continues today, as Autodesk turns to AUGI again and again for continued feedback and ideas for improvement.

Where to Start
Click on the appropriate link below to enter the Wish List of your choice. In each section, you'll find more information about that Wish List as well as a handy guide to help you through the process.

AutoCAD Wish List
Autodesk Inventor Wish List
AutoCAD Civil 3D Wish List
AutoCAD Revit Architecture Wish List

Don’t Delay
The voting will continue until March 10th, but why wait? Go to the Wish List of your choice and vote today!

Another opportunity to help guide the direction of AutoCAD

Play the part of the AutoCAD Product Manager! Every year, we post a survey to the AutoCAD user community seeking your thoughts on future product directions, enhancements, and how to improve the product line. The results of this survey are one very important component of how our roadmap is developed. We oftentimes contact respondents about their answers.

If you're interested in helping to guide the next generation of AutoCAD products and technology, please take about 15 minutes and take the following survey:

http://myfeedback.autodesk.com/adsksurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=720Hm92

AutoCAD Design Research

Thanks to all of you that have participated in the various AutoCAD design sessions. The opportunity to participate in online sessions is not yet over! You can continue to sign up for the online study through September 28 and respond to the study well into October. Your input is highly valued and will contribute to a better AutoCAD!

Here is more information from the AutoCAD Product Design and Usability team:

The AutoCAD Product Design Team is working on new features for future releases of AutoCAD.
One of our current projects focuses on improving the User Interface. These improvements are designed to make you more productive and efficient.  However, to complete the project successfully, we need feedback from as many users as possible.  Please help us achieve this goal!

This project is rather challenging and will require about 3 hours of your time.  Fortunately, the project can be done in segments, for example one hour a day for three days. Participants will attend a brief online Introduction Meeting, and then can complete the rest of the project online at their own schedule. Participants will be required to electronically sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with Autodesk.
This project will start on September 14, 2007 and last through October 5, 2007. Participation sign-up is now open!

Click on the following link to sign up:
http://myfeedback.autodesk.com/adsksurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=76M25l8
After signing up, you will receive an email with more information and instructions to attend an online Introduction Meeting.

Thank you for your time and interest in improving AutoCAD.  We are very grateful for your participation.

        -The AutoCAD Product Design and Usability Team

The Future of AutoCAD

If you are interested in helping shape the future of AutoCAD, consider the following request from the AutoCAD Product Design Team:

The AutoCAD Product Design Team is working on new features for future releases of AutoCAD.

One of our current projects focuses on improving the User Interface. These improvements are designed to make you more productive and efficient.  However, to complete the project successfully, we need feedback from as many users as possible.  Please help us achieve this goal!

This project is rather challenging and will require about 3 hours of your time.  Fortunately, the project can be done in segments, for example one hour a day for three days. Participants will attend a brief online Introduction Meeting, and then can complete the rest of the project online at their own schedule. Participants will be required to electronically sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with Autodesk.

This project will start on September 14, 2007 and last through October 5, 2007. Participation sign-up is now open!

Click on the following link to sign up:

http://myfeedback.autodesk.com/adsksurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=76M25l8

After signing up, you will receive an email with more information and instructions to attend an online Introduction Meeting. 

Thank you for your time and interest in improving AutoCAD.  We are very grateful for your participation.

     -    The AutoCAD Product Design and Usability Team

Attention San Francisco and Denver area AutoCAD users

If you are located in the San Francisco or Denver area, you have a rare opportunity to test drive some new features in AutoCAD and contribute your feedback to future releases. 

The AutoCAD Product Design and Usability team would like to invite you to join them for a sneak peek and test drive of a future version of AutoCAD, focusing on changes to the user interface and productivity enhancements.  Members of the AutoCAD team will be there to introduce you to new and enhanced AutoCAD features. 

In a casual focus group style, the design team wants to share with you their design-ideas-in-progress and ask for your input as they solidify their ideas for an upcoming release.  They’ll include time at the end of the session for general feedback and they’ll be happy to discuss any issues, future directions, or wish list items with you at that time.  Your input is critical in shaping the future of AutoCAD and the AutoCAD team depends on and values your ideas.  After this session the design team will make key decisions based on your input. 

Plan on spending the day (9am to 5pm) to meet the team and participate in hands-on sessions with the next release.  Snacks and lunch will be provided.

San Francisco Area (San Rafael) - September 5, 2007

Denver Area (Thornton) – September 11 or 12, 2007

Interested in attending the event?  Here’s what they are looking for:

• Day to day users of the software
• Users not proficient in LISP or scripting
• Users configuring the interface for other users
• All levels – beginning to advanced

Seats are limited so please contact Shari Nemerovski (415-507-8217) to register for this exciting event.

I hope to see you there!

Good Question: Windows Vista Support

Today's good question comes from Xavier. He asked about Microsoft Windows Vista support for AutoCAD 2006.

AutoCAD 2006 and earlier releases do not support the Vista operating system. AutoCAD 2008 does support both the Vista 32bit and 64bit OS. AutoCAD 2007 also supports Window's Vista if you install Service Pack 2. For more information view the AutoCAD 2008 Features and Specifications and the Readme for AutoCAD 2007 Service Pack 2.