On 8 September 2017, we had the pleasure of attending the Autodesk University South Africa (AU) event. Aiming to keep South African design professionals and service providers informed on industry updates, this event was centred on the future of making things, particularly with Autodesk software.

If you missed the event, don’t worry. We’re going to summarise the new trends in the Autodesk world, plus give you our key takeaways from the day.

What was the event about?

Technology is always moving so constant learning is essential if you’re to stay up to speed with the ways things are changing.
This event looked at how tech is changing, why it’s changing and what we can expect in the future, particularly with the internet of things demonstrating just how interconnected our world is. Focusing on Autodesk, the day also showcased the software’s capabilities and how it’s developing across all design disciplines.
The day was also the perfect place to meet experts, get interactive with the latest technology, and of course a chance to catch up with our clients.

Who was there?

We were joined by an array of Autodesk speakers from around the world, resellers, students and design professionals from various industries.

Did any new trends emerge?

Yes! Throughout the day, emphasis was heavily placed on the importance of collaboration. As Shanna Heyes, the Marketing Director here at Baker Baynes, concluded:

“It’s no longer acceptable to only be concerned with the model that you are designing, but rather to focus on the full project. Collaboration is very important to the success of a project, as is staying abreast with the newest technologies to help you produce better, faster and cheaper projects and products.”

Other trends that were mentioned were machine learning, robotics and generative design, with a focus on how they will be the next big thing, taking manufacturing to different levels.
With these trends, technology is vital. As the Managing Director of Baker Baynes, Richard Smedley-Williams commented:

“We have a lot to do to fully realise the current technologies potential, nevermind new tech. Adoption and usage of technology in businesses needs improvement.”

And, this is where solutions like Baker Baynes’ i-adopt approach comes in – a bespoke consultancy methodology to help customers adopt and utilise design software to its full potential.

Our top takeaways from AU South Africa

It was clear to see that Autodesk users love and live the brand, and this passion makes it hard to choose just a few takeaways from the AU South Africa event. But, if we were to select three takeaways, they would be:

Tech is fast paced and keeping up is crucial

Technology is not standing still; the world is changing and faster than we could ever have imagined. Therefore, our adoption, utilisation and learning of new and existing tech needs to be flawless. Here at Baker Baynes, we are all about education when it comes to technology software, and it’s exciting to see that education is also going to be a big part of Autodesk’s action plan.

South Africa is at the forefront of innovation

Africa plays a major role in the design industry and as a country we are hungry for Autodesk knowledge and education. What’s great is that Autodesk have noticed this. So, as a result, investment is growing and it looks as if that will continue.

Design and reality will soon be one and the same

Design is no longer a step-by-step process that starts with an idea, gets drawn up and then built. Design and reality are starting to become the same thing and the use of robotics, generative design and machine learning is making this possible. What’s more, Autodesk tech is not limited to buildings, infrastructure, process plants and product design. it’s starting to transcend across all spectrums and is being applied to out of the box situations like the conservation of wildlife or the preservation of ancient artefacts.

The Baker Baynes team at the Autodesk University South Africa (AU) event, from left Richard Smedley-Williams, Phindile Maphanga, Shanna Heyes.

The future of making things is certainly bright and we’re delighted to be a part of it. If you’d like to find out how we can help your business design a better world then please get in touch – we’d be happy to help.