Vectorworks University: Course Audit / Updated Courses / New Courses

[trashcan]

While some courses on Vectorworks University are strong enough to live beyond the years in which they were produced, there are some that simply don't apply any more, or are confusing because features have changed so much. Or are so terribly bugged that it's incredibly frustrating to try to learn that feature.  You can find that kind of feedback all over the forums ☹️.

 

I'm suggesting five things:

1. Vectorworks Training dept. should audit all of the course using VW2020 and see if the tutorials still apply. They could use noobs in the community to test this. Did something not work the way the instructor explained it? Were the results of a certain lesson different than expected? Were there features mentioned that you couldn't find? It would be easy enough to have a form at the end of each lesson to survey for that. 
2. Vectorworks University should have the version of VW as well as the industry specific version used in the course noted and filterable (I.e., VW Architect 2016). 
3. Vectorworks Training dept. should "archive" old courses so they are still accessible within VWU, but it's clear to students that there might be some issues with the course. 
4. Vectorworks Training dept. should update the courses (or even just sections of courses if appropriate) that are flagged in step 1.
5. Vectorworks Training dept. should create more courses, both for industry specific and general use. Not a lot of Architect specific courses on there, for example. A detailed Stair tool course would be a good place to start. 

 

In terms of the usefulness of courses, Luis Ruiz mentions in Understanding the Application of 3D Modeling that in 2017 the analysis tool was barely used, but by 2018 it was used a ton - and that directly correlated to the creation of a course / video that explained the tool. 

Edited May 22, 2020 by trashcan
fix

[rDesign]

^^^^ I agree with this completely. ^^^^

@trashcan - my one comment / editorial suggestion to you is that what you’re calling ‘Classes’, are refereed to as ‘Courses’ on the VWU Site. [At first I was confused by your posts asking for more ‘classes’ on the VWU site, thinking that you meant Layers / Classes].

Edited May 22, 2020 by rDesign

[trashcan]

@rDesign good call. fixed! thanks

[Andy Broomell]

Agree on all of the above.

 

Also, some courses have downloadable files to follow along with, while others don't. For example, I'm brushing up on Site Modeling, but there aren't any course files to download for that course and I don't have survey data laying around currently. So I can't really even practice the lesson...

 

Even if I did have my own survey data, it'd be nice to practice with the same file that the video shows.

 

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by Andy Broomell