ArchSmarter Podcast

Building Better Tools: How One Architect Transformed His Company's Workflows Through Coding

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In this episode, I speak with Tom Flaherty, a licensed architect and BIM Manager at a Texas-based residential design firm. We discuss his journey into Revit programming and how he developed custom add-ins that dramatically improved his company's efficiency.

Episode Highlights
  • Tom shares his background with programming, starting from childhood when his father (a self-taught programmer at Texas Instruments) taught him the basics
  • How Tom's early interest in AutoLISP transitioned to creating Revit add-ins when his firm switched platforms
  • Why Tom prefers developing C# plugins over Dynamo scripts for a better user experience and stability
  • The challenges of "users not following directions" motivated Tom to create user-friendly tools that enforce standards
  • How Tom's custom "Plan Flip" add-in reduced a 4-6 hour process down to less than a minute
  • The evolution of Tom's role from Senior Associate to officially recognized BIM Manager
  • Current projects Tom is working on, including a "super tagger" that works across multiple views and context-aware renumbering tools
  • Advice for architects interested in learning to code: "Don't doubt yourself," and find learning resources that match your style
    • Time-Saving Tools Discussed
    • Sheet creation tool using Excel data to automate naming and numbering
    • Plan flipping tool that handles door swings, elevation renaming, and sheet renumbering
    • Schedule creation tool that rebuilds missing or deleted schedules
    • A project cleanup tool that removes non-compliant elements and unused content
      • Connect With Us
      • Website: ArchSmarter.com
      • LinkedIn: Michael Kilkelly
      • LinkedIn: Tom Flaherty
        • ...more
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        ArchSmarter PodcastBy Michael Kilkelly