RST 2009 Core Training: Day 2

Training went pretty smoothly today, but I found out what a total nightmare Worksharing can be and I'm glad that we won't have to use it very often. It sounds like the link between the Central file and the local files can be easily broken. And make sure that people always relinquish what they check out, lest ye have to hurt them in a slow and very painful manner.

A word to the wise: if you have to use this feature (and I'm sure many of you will), be very attentive and precise on how you set this part up and operate it.

I made the unfortunate mistake of bringing an architectural RVT sample file that was messier than I realized. We ended up using it in training and it caused a few small problems for just about everyone in the class - including The Specialist and his Apprentice because they had to deal with the file, too. I thought it would be better to see the exercises done in an actual real-life project. A well-intended direction to go, thought I. Well, if there had been a little less weirdness in the sample file, training would've gone better. This was not any fault of the trainers (they fought through it rather well), but I think my crew would've done better and had fewer snags had we used the sanitized training files that were ready to be used by the Specialist. I use the word "sanitized" because that's essentially what they are. Because they need to be. Yes, those types of training files lack the "real world" pieces & parts that you'll eventually have to deal with. But during training, those extras became distractions that screwed up the continuity on the learning side. Hindsight: The Specialist was very accommodating when I asked to use our file. Damn him! I wish he would've shot me down cold when I asked to use a "real" RVT file for Copy/Monitor.

More wise words: Unless you have a really clean & error-free file from and outside source (i.e., architect or engineer), use the set-piece training stuff to get the basics into your head. THEN you can venture out and apply it to real-life files. Crawl before you try to walk.

Lesson learned for today: If you have previous experience with Revit, have an open mind when it comes to different methodology.

I was an instructor's nightmare for a little while today. When The Specialist started into Copy/Monitor, I let my past training (& limited knowledge) influence me into resisting what he was trying to teach and I almost blew it. See, I was previously trained to NOT use Copy/Monitor for a number of what I thought were good reasons. I think those reasons were valid back then and still are. Sometimes. When I questioned why he was teaching us that way instead of the other way, I could almost see my crew start to question the methods of The Specialist. What I thought about during the lunch break was the fact that this guy who is getting paid to travel around the country and teach this stuff probably knows what he's doing a helluva lot more than I do, and what I know is from older versions of the software. He still has not referred to the AOTC book even once that I've noticed! So I apologized to him and came back into training after lunch with an open mind. Now that I've cleared my mind and started to listen more instead of thinking "that's not the way I learned it before," I am actually getting much more out of it, everyone's confidence in The Specialist has returned, and I'm less of an Ass in Class.

Sometimes it truly is easier to teach someone who has no experience than the person who has just enough to be dangerous.

One last footnote to Day 2 and then I'll shut my yap. One of my crew who I never thought would opt to do things work related on his own time, actually asked me to give him what he needs to install RST 2009 on his home computer before he left for the day. He's smart, a hard worker, and he understands structures, but he really leaves work at work and does everything & everything work-related while on the clock. And there's nothing wrong with that. After all, none of us does this for a hobby, right? But now he wants to put it on his own machine at home? I almost lost it.

That's how well the training is going overall.

Check out the LWC Blog again tomorrow...