AUGIWorld Magazine - November/December 2008 - (Page 14) AUTODESK IMPRESSION Closing the Sale, with Style In a tough economy, closing the sale with a potential client is paramount. Sometimes, how you say it is as important as what you say. Surprisingly, a free product from Autodesk might help you make just the right impression Over the past few years, much emphasis has been placed on design technology and procedures. Three-dimensional design capabilities, BIM, and now 4D (design and construction through time) are among the most-talked-about trends. Before any of these projects can begin, however, you and your client must come to terms. Traditional methods have utilized concept sketches and hand renderings. There are many design tools and methods we use to create our designs and manage them with the hopes to better economize our design processes. Before any of these tools can be used, however, the client must be won over. This often calls for the use of different tools, methods, and new technology to win the job or project. There are many software products that will help you put your best foot forward with clients. One such offering is Autodesk® Impression, which was introduced in 2007. The second version (Impression 2) was released in 2008 as a free download to Autodesk subscription customers. Impression uses AutoCAD files (and many others) to create digital color renderings traditionally created by hand. It works with existing line work created in Auto14 CAD. The two programs go hand in hand to create professional and high-quality color presentation drawings. Its obvious uses are building elevations, landscape plans, and other informational illustrations. to create these drawings. The other major obstacle to overcome is revision time. Making changes in a digital file is more easily accomplished. Producing multiple copies of a drawing can incur high scanning and printing costs. Digital drawings are more easily reproduced and eliminate the need for copying or scanning the original. Copying the original also causes quality degradation while the printing of a digital file every time a new copy is needed carries no quality loss. Keep pace Today’s needs New technology is bombarding us at an ever-increasing pace. Businesses and their employees need to be prepared for these changes. The new technology behind Autodesk Impression is no different. Keeping pace with current procedures and technology is a full-time task. In today’s economy, the need to win over the client is at an all-time high. The need to keep pace with this trend may be even more important than the need to keep up with the latest technology. This means that more effort and resources are required in creating project proposals. Impression can help to fill both needs: keeping up with technology while communicating designs more effectively with your potential client. New technology issues Be prepared Impression, as a new technology, can provide better services or new products for your firm. If your company is already providing clients with 2D color renderings, then you are fully aware of the time it takes Ironically, while new technology and methods can solve problems, they can also create them. There are two typical areas in which technology issues often emerge: training and resources. Before new ideas are embraced, the real cost needs to be reviewed and determined. Once these issues are analyzed, a proper course of action should be determined. New technology means that your employees have little or no experience with the new software or methods and, thus, require training. This can require additional costs, down time, and project overruns due to the learning curve involved. But the impact of these issues can be reduced with proper planning. w w w. A U G I . c o m http://www.augi.com
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