Revit Architectural Experience Vision

ABI - BID - Revit, Experience Design

Design exploration

Revit Architectural Experience Vision — Revit Architectural Experience Vision, image 1

Background

Designing the Future of Architectural Design

The Autodesk Revit Experience team embarked on a mission to create a compelling 3-year experience vision to guide the evolution of its flagship BIM software for architects. This project synthesized customer research, technological trends (AI, Forma), and strategic goals into a cohesive narrative.

My Role

lead the UX strategy, facilitate cross-functional workshops, and craft the user journey that would define how architects will design, model, and document in Revit 2027 and beyond.

Three Focuses

The vision focuses on three core themes: Jump-Starting projects with intelligent data (Site), empowering Effortless Iteration (Modeling), and enabling Automated Documentation (Documentation).

There are three Experience Designers and one PM in the project. I am the one who is responsible with the modeling part of the vision.

The Challenge & The Vision

The Problem In Modeling

Revit's core architectural workflows were plagued by manual effort and inaccuracy. User research showed:

30% of wall joins failed, requiring manual fixes.
Data import from other formats (like DWG) was messy and unreliable.
Documentation was repetitive, with users manually creating each sheet and view.
...

Revit Architectural Experience Vision — The Problem In Modeling, image 2

The Vision I Proposed

To transform Revit from a documentation tool into an intelligent design partner. We envisioned a future where architects can Jump-Start their projects with intelligent data and use Auto-Complete features to handle repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on design.

Defining the Future Experience

Framing the Solution

Through synthesis of research and leadership feedback, we anchored the vision on two themes:

1. Jump-Start: Never Start from Scratch

Seamlessly bring accurate site context, building massing, and floor layouts from Autodesk Forma into Revit.
Begin modeling with intelligent templates and pre-populated data.

2. Auto-Complete: Automate the Repetitive

Model entire room finishes (walls, floors, ceilings) with a single click.
Generate entire drawing sets and apply annotations across views based on patterns.

Revit Architectural Experience Vision — 2. Auto-Complete: Automate the Repetitive, image 6

The Evolution of the Vision

Iterating Toward Clarity

The vision evolved through continuous feedback and collaboration:

4 Versions Of Iterations

V1 → V2: We moved from disconnected feature ideas to a unified user journey following an architect designing a single tower.
V2 → V3: We incorporated strategic feedback to strengthen the narrative around iteration—how the model and drawings stay in sync when designs change.
V3 → V4: We refined concepts to be more specific and achievable (e.g., "One-Click Annotations" instead of a vague "Automated Drawings").

Impact & Learning

Outcome & Learning

Impact: This vision became the strategic north star for the Revit Architecture team, directly influencing roadmap priorities and investment decisions for upcoming releases.

Key Learnings

Articulate the "Why": A compelling story about user outcomes ("save time," "reduce errors") is more powerful than a list of features.
Embrace Themes: Framing the vision around "Jump-Start" and "Auto-Complete" made it memorable and easy for stakeholders across the company to understand and champion.
Vision is a Tool: Its greatest value was creating a shared language and alignment across design, product, and engineering, turning individual features into part of a cohesive future experience.