A new electronic performance support system is replacing the traditional software training approach with a new method of support for computer-aided design (CAD) users. It significantly reduces the time and cost of learning or relearning the software and makes single-day productivity a reality for mechanical CAD users.

Introduced with the mechanical design software Autodesk Inventor, from the global design resource company Autodesk, the instructional method is called the Design Support System (DSS). It combines embedded information, wizards, coaches, and support tools - all of which are in context and on demand - and is a modern instructional approach based on the principle that users primarily learn how to use software when they are performing real tasks.

Traditional training systems, which rely on print or help tools, demos, or game-like tutorials to help users learn their way round the software, assume that users will actually read the materials, practice using the software, and then apply the practice results to what they do. While these methods can be effective, they lack the dynamic capabilities of DSS, which guides users as they work, enhancing new-users' on-the-job performance and increasing power-users' productivity. The built-in information, visual aids, animated examples, and sophisticated error recovery system all mean that users do not have to memorise various command references. The software guides them through the various steps.

Autodesk Inventor 4 was released in South Africa in February, with the product as a whole promising unparalleled ease-of-use improvements throughout the product.

"In addition to substantial performance improvements and reductions in file sizes, one of the most significant new enhancements in the latest release is single-day productivity," explains Errol Ashwell, Managing Director of Autodesk Africa. "This was made possible by our innovative Design Support System."

Featuring the first completely new 3D design technology since 1985, Autodesk Inventor dramatically speeds up electronic design of large assemblies, a long-time frustration for designers. The software eliminates the need to break a large assembly design into chunks small enough for traditional CAD systems to digest. By employing an innovative, segmented database, the new software increases the speed and accuracy with which very large assembly designs may be created.

The new database technology enables users to quickly open and work with unusually large assembly models. It optimises system performance by automatically loading only those segments that are required for the current operation and loading remaining segments on demand.

Autodesk

(011) 318 2900

errol.ashwell@autodesk.com

www.autodesk.com