Draw/Pick Gallery

During the implementation design period some 2009 features were identified for a closer look due to the frequency in which they are encountered and others by their importance.  Sketching tools scored high in both these categories.
Revit has an early strength in its re-use of concepts.  When not forced this aids learning and supports efficiency.  One could learn to sketch a floor and then leverage this knowledge to complete other tasks such as create a filled region, edit a wall profile or cut a hole in a roof.  Data analysis pointed to “line” as one of the most used commands and this was determined to be due to its use in sketch. Next we looked for opportunities to improve the comprehension and efficiency of sketching.   Video of user sessions was analyzed, the existing workflow mapped, and both evaluated on several levels.
Some observations:

• Hidden UI. Of the draw all the methods available (line, rectangle, circle, ect..) many were hidden behind a drop down. This created an extra step to view and access them (This design existed to conserve limited horizontal space due to the option bar’s single row).
• Tools and methods of tools were slightly blurred and given inconsistent UI treatment.  Sketch lines could be created via a sketch or a pick action (lines, walls, or roof edges). Sometimes 'Pick' was a tool and inother cases a method.
• Common sketch workflows required excessive mouse movement between the design bar and option bar and more importantly highly related items were not co-located.

I'll next relay the design solution and how it strove to address these areas.

Hidden UI

An early mockup provided an upfront dropdown of methods followed by a gallery on a contextual tab.

 

This version was not more efficient click-wise and the upfront portion was subsequently dropped in favor of the current design which was more like 2009 in providing methods contextually.  A ribbon gallery widget was employed to display all the available sketch methods equally.  Internally this is called the “Draw/Pick” gallery. This widget provided a convenient and recognizable container for a variable amount of content.

The following is a comparison between the two releases:

R2009

1. Click “Model Line”
2. Click method dropdown in the option bar
3. Choose polygon
4. Choose the circumscribed method
5. Set the number of sides to six

R2010

1. Click “Model Line”
2. Choose circumscribed polygon
3. Set the number of sides to six

Next post I will talk about rationalizing sketch tools and methods and co-location.

_erik

Comments

[Graham Briggs]

It seems that in your 2010 example, you've left out the click(s) necessary to get to the line tools on the Ribbon. First, select the Home tab (for model lines, Annotate for detail lines), then the other three clicks you have noted.

I applaud the ready access to all of the various line geometries in 2010, but I find that putting Model and Detail lines under separate tabs, conceals their availability.

On a related subject, if I want to draw a line with an offset, I simply set a value on the option bar. If I want to draw an arc (with a given radius), I have to click first in the [tiny] radius check box, then input a value. Why couldn't this have been reduced to a click in the value box, thereby activating the radius function and accepting the input value? This would save at least one click (maybe several, because I sometimes miss the check box, on first try)

[Tim Waldock]

I really like the easy availability of all the line drawing methods, and that you no longer need to tell Revit that you want to draw a line before choosing the method. I hope that users will clearly understand that "pick" is amongst the other. You just need to lose the scroll bar which confuses the issue.

I really like the clear separation (and labelling) of model vs detail lines (sorry Graham) as my users forever confuse them. next step is to separate them in the selection filter and view visibility - now that is a major headache for me (we have to jump through hoops of burning fire to separate them)

[Tom Vollaro]

Accessing the tool from the tab was not counted as it is similar (2009 designbar tab vs 2010 ribbon tab.) I know it was mentioned but the ability to switch a detail line to a model line and back could mitigate some of the issues when the wrong one is used. Clearly there is more that can be done around these editors and lines specifically. The behavior of the tool options is also a place where we can simplify. Thanks for the feedback.

[Joel Osburn]

I applaud the attempts to expose more functionality while reducing the excessive clickiness of Revit, but it looks like an opportunity has been missed: keyboard shortcuts for specific line sub-commands. If we could directly access drawing a circle with CR or whatever, then those oft used commands can be done with no initiating clicks at all.

Those most used commands should be as fast as possible!

[Tom Vollaro]

Joel,

Historically Revit has never provided access to contextual items which is a gap that needs to be filled. In 2010 the Alt Keys provide some access and have been exploited by some using 3rd party apps but we know this is still a sought after feature. There is also additional pressure due to accessibility requirements. I completely agree with your comments. Thanks for sharing them.

[Chad]

Erik, the lack of direct Options Bar shortcuts have been an issue since forever and is part of the reason why the Ribbon integration is frowned upon.

While we have a new UI, which is some areas has less functionality than 2009, it still lacks some of these basic user requests that have been requested over many years. This really should have been part of the new UI redesign.
It amplifies the perception that Autodesk lives in an isolated world and that the user comments don't matter.

[Tim Waldock]

Erik,
Going back to differentiating between model and detail lines, yes it would help to be able to change one to the other, but much more importantly, the only way I know to select a whole bunch of detail lines and guarantee that no model lines are selected is to turn off all model worksets first. Likewise, to select only model lines, we have to go to a 3D view, then it can be so hard to get the right ones. Hence my desire to separate them in VG and selection filter.

Yes, bring on those context keyboard shortcuts in that big service pack fix we are all hoping for in about June/July.

[mruehr]

I would rather have some of the context sensitivity in a right click Menu rather than
Move Buttons on the run .Or the other way around have essential all the time used commands in the right click menu

[Tom Vollaro]

mruehr,

We have received consistent feedback regarding this. Placing the modify tools on CT tabs and edit tools in sketch mode aimed at keeping these handy yet position does shift and we are looking at this. Can you name other essential tools? (Measure, dimension, trim, align, ect.)

_erik

[mruehr]

Erik
Move,Copy, Rotate,Array, Mirror,Scale
Align,Split, Trim, Offset
Join, Unjoin, Cut, Uncut, Edit Walljoints
Workplane,Matchtype, Linework etc.
Basically the Tools and Edit Bar in 2009
this could be possibly switched on off or like in 3D Max the right click Quad panels.
the good thing about it the command is where my cursor is (selected Object)