Fostering Learning and Professional Development for Users of Feature-Rich Design Software

Feature-rich design software is of critical importance to many industries, including manufacturing, architecture, and construction. A common feature of this software is that, to be used effectively, the user must possess technical competency and an understanding of the specific workflows and practices for using the software within their organizations. In the past, users could get by with an initial period of dedicated training on the software they would use in their careers, but the rate of change in design software is accelerating, making social and on-the-job learning of software skills much more important. The intern will investigate the practices that professionals use to develop their software skills over time on the job. The results of this study will be important for Autodesk, which makes 3D design software for the manufacturing, architecture, and construction industries, and is actively involved in developing tools to foster the professional development of Autodesk users.

Faculty Supervisor:

Parmit Chilana;Andrea Bunt

Student:

Kimia Kiani

Partner:

Autodesk Canada Co

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

University:

Program:

Accelerate