#036 // Keep It Simple, Stupid

Before you get antsy with me, I am not calling you stupid in any way at all. In fact, if you recognise the title of this week’s blog, you are quite the opposite.

The KISS Principle

The KISS principle is used for many workflows and processes and originated from “Keep It Short and Simple”. A more popular, colloquial version came about, “Keep It Simple, Stupid”, and that tends to be the one most remembered for its more humorous slant.

The KISS principle states that simplicity should be a key goal, and that unnecessary complexity should be avoided. It’s a principle I have stuck to for much of my career, when I discovered it on a management course, when working as a CAD manager many years ago.

CAD Manager’s OCD

Keeping things simple makes life much easier, especially when the subject matter, such as CAD or BIM is involved. As an ex-CAD manager, I often joke about “CAD Manager OCD” which is simply the need to keep things going but to keep them organised, tidy, and neat, but most of all, simple. This then ensures that everyone can utilise the content/data accordingly to make sure that workflows and processes run smoothly and the drawings and/or designs get out of the door in a timely manner.

As you all know, I have been Autodesk-centric for many years. 38 years as a user of their software, and 25 years as a consultant, instructor and CADjedi. I have always tried to maintain a neutral stance on all that Autodesk do, but I am seeing a bit of a shift from users and managers alike with the recent name changes.

My perspective

I’d like you to take this from a CAD manager’s perspective. My perspective, if you like. Back in the day, I not only had to manage the CAD function for my company. I also had to write all the necessary documentation including CAD standards, working CAD procedures, and training materials. This was no small task and took up more time than actual CAD work. There were days when I wished I was still at the CAD workstation, cranking out DWG files for checking and approval, but I was a CAD manager now, so these tasks had to be completed. Hence, the KISS principle was applied at all times to simplify and streamline these tasks.

Luckily, I don’t have to do that kind of work anymore, but over the last 15 years or so, I have seen too many rebranding/packaging initiatives from numerous CAD vendors, and I am not surprised that CAD managers heads are spinning on a daily basis. It increases workload exponentially – documentation, standards, procedures, and training materials. And that’s just documentation, let alone figuring out all of the new naming philosophy when actually using the software. When this kind of exercise is expedited by a CAD vendor, they need to realise it has serious ramifications.

Shiny objects

As much as I appreciate my years working with Autodesk software, Autodesk are one of the biggest culprits for this. The “rebranding/renaming/shiny object you need” mentality at Autodesk has forced many a CAD manager to do overtime, getting everything aligned to the latest and greatest iteration from One Market in San Francisco. And yes, you may say that AI could be used to solve this renaming/rebranding issue, especially with documentation, but when you have so many products within products, under a brand ‘umbrella’ it becomes onerous, even with the likes of Claude, ChatGPT, or CoPilot to assist. It’s a job that really shouldn’t need to be done, but because you are constrained to use that vendors software bundle/package, you are forced down the renaming route regardless.

Forma is the latest rename/rebrand from Autodesk for (primarily) the AECO silo of products, and that involves renaming a shedload of Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) tools. Take a look at a screengrab from a recent LinkedIn post I read: -

So, now we have all these new names to think about in Forma, that have to be translated from ACC.

But here’s the kicker for me.

• ACC becomes Autodesk Forma.
• What was originally called Forma now becomes Forma Site Design.
• What was originally called ACC Mobile App now becomes Forma.
• And there are now SEVEN products with Forma in their name, excluding Forma Site Design and Autodesk Forma.

Confusing much? Ugh.

Did anyone apply the KISS principle to this renaming/rebranding I ask? I hazard a guess at no, they didn’t. Not only is an existing product called Forma being renamed, but another ACC product is being renamed Forma, just to add to that confusion. My CAD manager OCD just went into overdrive.

Not only would I now have to rename everything in every document I use, but I would also need to make sure that the transition from old Forma to new Forma is understood by my whole CAD team.

I’ll be completely honest. This is not a case of keeping it simple. It’s more a case of here’s something shiny and new around something that was shiny and new, but we want to make it shiny and new again.

I don’t even want to think about the hours that will be spent by organisations who are currently using ACC that now have to rename everything. I feel for all of you and not for the first time, I do question why Autodesk felt the need to change everything just as we were all getting used to ACC.

Applying the KISS principle

Here’s my KISS take on the new naming: -

Can you see the difference here? Each name does what it says on the tin, and its syntax is shorter than the original, but it STILL tells the user what it does with ZERO confusion, along with only one product called Forma in the list.

Here’s the irony – I saw this comment about the upcoming Project Hail Mary movie recently: -

“Who is looking forward to this movie? The Martian (the book) was awesome. The movie was “good”. Project Hail Mary was an even better book. Please don’t mess this up”.

Just for reference, Project Hail Mary was originally a book written by the same author as The Martian, Andy Weir. Both have now been made into movies.

I’ll let you figure that one out.

Keep It Simple, Stupid.

SCB.