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The Shifts Practice Leaders Are Starting to Notice
Hi there,
Architecture is entering a structural shift, not a tooling upgrade. This week, the strongest reactions came from three themes: AI experimentation versus operating model redesign, the implications of auto-drawing inside Autodesk Revit, and the real constraint facing practices, unstructured decision-making, not lack of technology. The common thread is simple: output is accelerating but governance, QA and accountability structures are not evolving at the same speed.
This issue explores what that means for practice leaders. If AI is moving from novelty to production, then documentation workflows, validation systems and platform strategy must move with it. Alongside that, I’m highlighting a pragmatic CDE option for smaller practices, a live workflow demo on AI-assisted documentation, several data connectors worth exploring, and one role that signals where the industry is heading.
Let’s get into it.👇
What Sparked the Most Discussion This Week
1. Most architecture firms using AI right now are doing theatre, not transformation. They’re generating outputs. They’re not redesigning their operating model.
Click here to read the full post: LinkedIn.
2. Autodrawing is coming to Revit in 2026. Will your QA process survive it?
Click here to see the full post: LinkedIn
3. Technology isn’t the issue in Architecture. Unstructured decision-making is. The new ADDD platform brings structured, independent judgement to how practices navigate technology, workflows, AI, and data.
Click here to see the full post: LinkedIn
Theme of the Week: AI Theatre vs AI Operating Model.
Most architecture firms using AI right now are performing theatre, not transformation. They are generating outputs, testing prompts, and experimenting with isolated tools but they are not redesigning their operating model. Over the past twelve months, I’ve seen two clear patterns: firms experimenting at the edges, and firms restructuring standards, QA, governance, and workflow ownership so AI becomes operational. The difference between those approaches is structural, and structural shifts compound.
The real question in AEC is no longer whether AI can generate something. It is how to engineer it safely and profitably into production. That is not an IT conversation; it is a leadership decision. As platforms like Autodesk Revit move toward automated documentation, accelerating output without redesigning validation and accountability increases risk. AI does not fix broken workflows, it amplifies them. Directors need to decide whether they are experimenting with tools or redesigning the system.
Featured Product: Sofidus
If you are a small or mid-sized practice already operating within the Microsoft ecosystem, Sofidus is a particularly pragmatic option. Rather than introducing another standalone platform, it leverages Microsoft 365 and SharePoint as the backbone of your Common Data Environment. That means fewer new licences, lower onboarding friction, and a familiar interface for teams who are already working inside Outlook, Teams and SharePoint.
For practices that need a structured, ISO 19650-aligned CDE without the overhead of enterprise-scale systems, Sofidus provides a clean, focused layer on top of SharePoint. Document registers, metadata tagging, version control, BIM model viewing and role-based permissions are orchestrated in one environment. You retain data ownership, reduce tool sprawl, and introduce governance without introducing unnecessary complexity.
In short, if your priority is simplicity, control and cost-effectiveness rather than heavyweight configurability, Sofidus is a strong fit. It is especially well suited to practices that want clarity and structure in their CDE but do not want to rebuild their entire digital stack to achieve it.
If you want to find out more then contact Andriana Gudaciciene here.
Talks this week
Here are some talks coming up or you can rewatch:
AI-DRIVEN DOCUMENTATION: AUTOMATING REVIT DRAWING CREATION AND QA FOR ARCHITECTS
A Live Workflow Demo:
Revit Drawing Creation → Automated QA
(No AI Hype. Just Execution. As Always)
Most practices are experimenting with AI in isolation. A script here. A plugin there. But documentation workflows remain fragmented, manual and reactive. Drawing production and quality checking sit in separate silos.
AI does not fix broken workflows. It amplifies them. The real opportunity is not faster drafting - it is structured information production combined with automated validation.
In this live session, we will demonstrate how:
• Ideatura.ai automates structured drawing information inside Revit
• Markedup.ai automatically reviews and checks that output
• Documentation becomes machine-assisted rather than manually policed
Sign up here: https://streamyard.com/watch/4NgfT56wHGNV
You can watch our session from last week on our YouTube channel, AEC Tech Futures.
4 Revit & Data Connectors Worth Exploring!
AEC runs on fragmented data. Speckle changes that with open data infrastructure that makes your information accessible, actionable, and AI-ready..
Best suited for: Architects / BIM Managers / Computational Designers
Fits in workflow: All stages
Contact: Mirna Savić
Bring time back to design. No complex scripts. No steep learning curves. Just BIM made simple. Rhino, Revit, and IFC are linked in one simple workflow, so you can focus on design instead of re-building models.
Best suited for: BIM Managers / Computational Designers
Fits in workflow: Early - Late Stage Design
Contact: Mauro Sabui [email protected]
With the Conveyor plugin, users can easily import Rhino objects into Revit as native elements.
Best suited for: Architects / BIM Managers / Computational Designers
Fits in workflow: Early to mid stages
Contact here: Nathan Miller
The Rhino.Inside.Revit project is an exciting new development sponsored by Robert McNeel & Associates that brings the power of Rhino and Grasshopper to the Autodesk Revit® environment
Best suited for: BIM Managers / Computational Designers
Fits in workflow: early - mid stage design
Free Resource: Explore the ConTech Landscape
If you’re scanning this space, I maintain a free ConTech database covering hundreds of tools across architecture, engineering, and construction.
I use it as a starting point before advising practices, not as an answer in itself.
→ Browse the database here: https://contechdatabase.softr.app/
What This Issue Means for Practice Leaders
If you are in a leadership position, this week’s signals point to one clear conclusion: AI is no longer a tooling question, it is an operating model question.
Experimentation at the edge is low risk but also low leverage. The firms that will compound advantage are those redesigning QA, standards, governance and information ownership alongside AI adoption. As platforms like Autodesk Revit move toward automated documentation, accelerating output without redesigning validation structures will increase exposure, not margin. The board-level responsibility is to ensure productivity gains translate into controlled, defensible delivery.
It also means simplifying your stack and structuring decision-making matters more than chasing features. Whether that is implementing a pragmatic CDE layer like Sofidus on top of Microsoft 365, tightening connector strategy through tools like Speckle, or introducing structured advisory through ADDD, the priority is coherence.
Technology itself is not scarce. Clarity, governance and system-level thinking are.
One Role Worth Noticing This Week
Senior Software Developer - HDR
We are seeking a Senior Software Developer to join the Data-Driven Design (D3) team within HDR’s Architecture Business Group. In this role, you will lead the architecture and development of our most critical web applications using progressive web frameworks. You will be responsible for designing scalable systems, managing complex data workflows, and overseeing the integration of AI agents and automation into our design tools. This is a high-impact position where you will set the technical direction for our web-based platforms, ensuring they are performant, reliable, and capable of transforming how we deliver architectural projects.
The ideal candidate is an experienced developer who is comfortable taking ownership of major features from concept to deployment. Beyond building software, you will establish best practices for the team—leading code reviews, managing CI/CD pipelines, and mentoring other developers. You will work closely with architects, computational designers, and BIM specialists to ensure our technology solves real-world design challenges. As a senior member of our interdisciplinary team, your leadership will be essential in helping us innovate within our employee-owned culture and maintain our position as a leader in architectural technology.
→ View role: Here
See all roles here: www.aectechjobs.com/search
One Next Step
If this issue resonated, let’s have a chat:
→ Book a short diagnostic call - Click here
No pressure, just a next step if useful.
This newsletter exists to help architects navigate technology with confidence, not hype by focusing on workflows, decisions, and real practice constraints.
Thanks for reading!
Allister
