Design Tips: Using Annotations and Rev Clouds for Reminders in Your Design Process

Using Annotations and Rev Clouds for Efficient Design Workflow

Discover how to tackle challenges in design by utilizing techniques such as annotating revision clouds to mark areas of focus for later. Learn how to streamline the process when under time constraints without compromising the quality of the outcome.

Key Insights

  • The article provides an approach to address problematic areas in design projects by wrapping them in an annotated revision cloud for future attention.
  • Instructions are given on how to combine elements into one inch units, with care taken to avoid selecting branch lines or other unnecessary components.
  • The author suggests an exception to standard practices when faced with time limitations, such as having the outlet on both sides, achieving the balance between efficiency and effectiveness.

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All right, now in this case, it's not going to work. Nothing is ever that easy. We will come back to these.

So here's what I'm going to do to remind myself—I like to do this when I'm designing and don’t want to forget to do certain things. I'll just go to Annotate > Revision Cloud. I'm going to put a little cloud around here to remind myself to come back to this later.

Let's see if I can connect this one. Okay, and make everything one inch. All right, let's continue to the next line.

All right, now in one fell swoop, as long as you don't select the branch line, you should be all right. Deselect the sprinkler. Set it to one inch.

Wonderful. I grabbed those sprinklers there. That's okay, because we're going to deselect all of them from the filter.

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And here, for the sake of expediency, we'll make a special case. Every now and then you can have the outlet on both sides. We try to avoid it, but let's say we're on a time crunch and we have to get this out the door.

We'll leave it as is.

photo of Derek Cutsinger

Derek Cutsinger

BIM Instructor/Coordinator

Derek’s background is in both education and MEP. He earned his BA in Music Education from San Diego State University and is also a TEFL certified English language instructor. In addition to educational roles, he is also an experienced fire protection design engineer and has extensive knowledge in many programs and processes used in AEC industries. He brings his unique and eclectic skillset to VDCI as their Curriculum Coordinator. In his free time he can be found weightlifting in his garage, hanging out with his wife and pug, or painting and drawing in his studio.

  • BA Music Education – San Diego State University
  • MA Applied Linguistics (in process) – San Diego State University
  • TEFL Certified English Language Instructor
  • NICET 1 Certification
More articles by Derek Cutsinger

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