Digital Innovation with Dynamo

We know that Dynamo is a visual programming tool that was designed to be accessible to everyone, non-programmers and programmers alike. It plays a hefty role in generative design—serving as the engine to the Generative Design Tool inside Revit. It offers powerful opportunities for revamping and automating the design process in digital workflows.

Learn about the programming environment that requires no prior experience: download the free Applied Software, Graitec Group resource, “Ultimate Guide to Autodesk Dynamo.” Try your hand at the art of programming.

So, what role does Dynamo play in digital innovation?

In a recent webinar/mini-class, Tips That Rule for Using Dynamo, computational design expert Anthony Zuefeldt explained the pragmatic applications of Dynamo – how it can be leveraged to help designers work better and faster. Anthony explained that, at its core, Dynamo is a connector and a data exchange and management tool.

Digitally speaking, Dynamo has a built-in advantage over many other tools: it is itself attached to the most recent, popular AEC tools that are offered in the industry. Users can stay ahead of the curve by integrating with relevant Autodesk software like Revit or Civil 3D, then connecting them to other applications like Excel or PowerBI.

Tune in to the webinar to see Anthony’s demonstrations of keyboard shortcuts, examples of improving the user experience using add-ons like Data-Shapes, error messages, embedding links, revision logs, and understanding Dynamo graph performance.

Many companies face a challenge in getting end users to use the Dynamo scripts that are developed for their use. Anthony recommended the following to improve the user experience for Dynamo graphs you create:

• Consider user interface design a top priority for each graph. Graphs need to be easy to use and predictable.
• Look into add-ons like Data-Shapes, and use Revit buttons and Dynamo Player to extend the functionality of your graphs.
• Restrict the ability to select objects so only the correct types can be chosen. Open ended scenarios can cause problems.

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In a blog post by Anthony, 5 Things You Can Do Better Using Dynamo, we learn that Dynamo “can connect to almost any application or database” even though it is specialized for use with Autodesk products.

Within Revit, Dynamo “is used to author ‘studies’, which are essentially the programmatic instructions for Revit to run specific generative design analysis. As a computational tool, Dynamo is incredibly versatile and powerful,” Anthony explains. With this kind of tool, designers can “produce a range of potential design solutions, unlocking potential outcomes that were previously impossible.”

Often, we wonder whether innovative products will last in an ever-changing industry; and if they do, what are they doing to stay ahead? With Dynamo, the industry has a game changer: a trendsetting and industry leading technology that manages to remain behind-the-scenes and unpresuming.

One thing I found during my research on Dynamo, and it’s something that Anthony makes very clear: in order to stay competitive in the AEC space, firms “need to consider computational design tools like Dynamo and understand how they can impact their workflows.” The use of computational design is growing, as well as the digital realm; ergo, products like Dynamo are here to stay.

If you are interested in learning more about Dynamo, contact Applied Software, Graitec Group today. The experts of Applied will help you champion the solution that is right for your company. Happy programming!