Our software survey results prompted some reader comments, but we’d like to know more. If you have had extensive experience on any one of the software packages that we mentioned in our “Decoding Designer-Friendly Software” article, we’d love to hear from you so that we can spread the word. Opinions and reports can be anonymous if requested (we don’t kiss and tell), but shout it out at contact@plinthandchintz.com. In the meantime, see what one professor, one professional, and one student had to say.

Email from: MIKE DUDEK, Kansas State University – Department of Apparel, Textiles and Interior Design

Thanks for the survey… I do agree that manual drafting/sketching should have been one of the options as it is a software-based function and hey, it’s free and readily available!

We can’t possibly take the time to teach our students each state of the art (this month) rendering package and still fit in all of the basic design skills. While we encourage our students to explore rendering software on their own we still focus on basic AutoCAD skills and the more cerebral aspect of design.

When computers start thinking like us/for us, then and only then, will digital software become more important than basic synaptic design skills. I hope I am long gone when this does happen.

Email from: LISA L. REEVES, Allied Member ASID, IDS, CQRID - Design Principal, Talents Design Studio, Inc.

You are missing “Studio IT” on Work Flow Management block. I have long established designer friends that rave about it and much prefer it over Design Manager as it has a better money management software segment. I have worked with Design Manager for years (it is not cost effective to change ships at this point) and it is mildly difficult to learn but can make life easier for a small or large firm once learned.

With these packages you just enter the information one time to produce a Proposal for initial presentation and deposit from client, subsequent Purchase Orders to all vendors associated with that particular order. For instance, if “Big Red Sofa” has fabric from one source, leather from another, fringe from another and a labor component, you type all this in and all the client sees is “Big Red Sofa” when ready to deliver to client and collect balance you produce the invoice (after adding any freight charges, etc.). You also record all checks coming in and going out in each area.

Young designers will soon learn that our field is about 15% design and 85% project management. Don’t think you are going to get away without these skills. I don’t care how talented you are!

Hope this info helps in some way. I am also familiar with “Chief Architect” if anyone asks about this product you can email and ask me. I’m just out of time at present.

Email from: KEITH ADCOCK, design student

I’m an interior design student who loves computers. I admit that part of the reason I love CAD drafting is that I tend to be a messy person. Thank goodness that I missed the era of the design industry when hand drafting was all there was. Taking the time to dealing with clogging ink pens, electric erasers, slick mylar, wrinkly vellum, wadded tape, all those smelly templates, etc. would have probably driven me crazy. Drafting on the computer is clean, efficient, and even eco-friendly since there are no wasted materials.

I’ve heard several older professionals wax nostalgic for the “good old days” of drafting and imply that we students know less about design because of our dependence on CAD. Of course, I tend to disagree, but I haven’t been in their shoes, so I can only look at things from my perspective. I do believe that the ability to sketch is very important – really, it is an art, and I do want to work on those skills. However, I believe that CAD revolutionized the industry, making life easier for those in it. I’m sure it didn’t necessarily increase accuracy, though – it seems to me that a drawing is only going to be as accurate as the person drawing it.

Just as you must learn to multiply and divide before moving on to a calculator, I do see the benefit in learning the basics of hand drafting before moving on to CAD. But if we have the technological tools to help us in every aspect of the business, why not embrace them, learn them, and use them to our advantage? Let’s face it – the future is digital.