BE Magazine - Volume 4, Issue 4 - (Page 43)

BE USERS Strength in Numbers User group gatherings spark enhanced productivity W hen a passionate group of likeminded people who want to share ideas and learn more about the products they use on a daily basis congregate, they create a powerful dynamic fed by an insatiable desire to learn—not only from Bentley, but also from their peers. One of the reasons user groups are so successful is that they provide a chance to “talk shop” with colleagues who understand what engineers do and why it is important. In many instances, these groups become clearinghouses for information that they might not otherwise receive. For example, not only does Bentley often provide advance product and project information, the more zealous users themselves share valuable information that they have gleaned from the products, newsgroups, and “insider” conversations. An excellent example is the Mid Continent MicroStation Community (MCMC), which held its summer conference this year in Overland Park, Kansas. Boasting a recordhigh 310 attendees, the agenda focused on technology updates, best practices, and Bentley Institute workshops. The Bentley LEARN Café made its ﬁrst appearance and so piqued attendees’ interest that they signed up for an astonishing 726 hours of Bentley’s OnDemand eLearning. “We had a very successful conference in 2007, due in large part to the work put in by the volunteer steering committee, who pulled together an agenda and venue that was beneﬁcial for all attendees,” explained Shawn Foster, MCMC chairperson. “Our agenda was very diverse. Although historically a civil discipline-based user group, the agenda has grown to include BIM, collaboration, and management. By having something for everyone, we draw in a larger group of professionals who want to learn.” He continued, “Most of the membership in our user group do not have the opportunity to go to national events, such as BE Conference 2007 held in Los Angeles this year. So this conference serves that function—it’s an event that the everyday production user can come and learn about what’s happening, both present and future, with Bentley technologies as well as network with both peers and clients.” Foster credited the mix of user presentations, Bentley technology updates, and third- groups from Flanders and Luxembourg for the event that attracted more than 150 users, including a contingent of professionals who utilize AutoCAD in addition to MicroStation TMC-CFB Chairman Richard Vermeire hosted an action-packed day that included a look at GenerativeComponents in practice by Foster + Partners and the BE Award-winning Kanselarij project by Fortis Bank. Also in attendance was Bentley’s Greg Bentley, CEO and Buddy Cleveland, senior vice president, Applied Research, who updated users on Bentley metrics and strategies. party providers as key to the user group’s success. “We have about a 60/35/5 split between users, Bentley, and third party, which says a lot when we have many practitioners volunteer their time and energy to present on relevant topics to show how they use the various technologies to perform better project work. At the end of the day, it’s all about a better project.” Another successful group with a strong and loyal following is TMC-CFB Belgium (Communnauté Française de Belgique), which celebrated its 10th anniversary at its annual BE User Group BELUX meeting in Brussels, Belgium, in mid-September. TMCCFB industry professionals, students, and teachers teamed with neighboring user “Gatherings like these are a great way to connect with other users to learn how they approach and solve similar challenges that we all face on a daily basis,” said Xavier Souris, a frequent user group attendee and lecturer at an industrial higher education school. “Exchanging ideas and experiences with industry professionals signiﬁcantly increases our ability to better train the 3D design professionals of tomorrow.” Make Connections! The BE User Group is a collection of independent user groups dedicated to sharing their ideas and building their knowledge about Bentley products. User group members exchange ideas and experiences, receive training, and provide feedback to Bentley by holding local, corporate, and regional meetings and conferences. For more information on the BE User Group program, visit www.beusergroup.com. Volume 4, Issue 4 | BE MAGAZINE 43 http://www.beusergroup.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of BE Magazine - Volume 4, Issue 4

BE Magazine - Volume 4, issue 4 Contents The Drive To Innovate News BE Newsletter Highlights Converging on the Market Bytes and Bricks Generative Components Building Courting Success Remodeling an Icon Structural Integration Building News From Bentley Civil Greenfield Airport Takes Flight Good Neighbors Collaborative Innovation Civil News From Bentley Advertisers Index Geospatial Ring of Fiber Revolutionizing Integrity Management Port City Transformation In Conversation With Greg Bentley Geospatial News From Bentley Plant Single-Source Service Committed to Cleaner Air Expediting Expansion Plant News From Bentley Strength in Numbers The Art of Visualization A Winning Legacy Zero Change Culture: Further Definition A Remarkable Collaboration With a Forward-Thinking Community

BE Magazine - Volume 4, Issue 4

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