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Event Report: Autodesk University 2009
17 Dec, 2009 By: Cyrena Respini-Irwin,Nancy Spurling JohnsonIn a year when canceled events were not uncommon, Autodesk presses forward and draws nearly 6,000 to Las Vegas and 19,000 to AU Virtual for learning opportunities and technology updates.
Kudos to Autodesk for pulling off Autodesk University 2009. In a year of plummeting sales and slashed travel budgets that have led many other companies to cancel user events or offer them as online-only presentations, Autodesk pushed ahead. The Las Vegas–based event moved to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, reportedly to accommodate the ever-growing crowd — only to see attendance drop from nearly 10,000 in 2007 and 2008 to approximately 5,900 this year.
To reach those who couldn't be there in person this year, Autodesk introduced AU Virtual, which streamed many key events via the Internet for free. In the end, Autodesk reported, 19,000 people registered to participate in the online activities. Recorded events remain accessible on the AU Virtual site, so take in something new or review a keynote or class you think is worth a second look.
Attendance wasn't the only thing that was down this year. It was tough to ignore the somber tone that pervaded the usually energized event. Yes, blame the economy. Las Vegas tourism is reeling. The casino at Mandalay Bay seemed quiet, and bars and restaurants that typically stayed open till the wee hours closed early when customer numbers dwindled — a common problem all along The Strip, we heard. In the AU exhibit hall, relatively few new products were announced, and keynote presentations were subdued compared with the experience in recent years. Many presenters and attendees conveyed a sense of resolve. (See Robert Green's report, "CAD Managers Seek Self-Improvement at Autodesk University 2009.")
Nonetheless, it was a busy week for all who made the trip, filled with tours through the exhibit hall, numerous networking opportunities, special events, and 549 classes presented by 391 speakers. Following is our annual roundup of key events and announcements. Autodesk University will be held at Mandalay Bay again next year, November 30–December 3.
General Session Keynote
The General Session Keynote that kicked off the week featured guest speaker Amory Lovins, cofounder and chief scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute, who inspired the CAD crowd with his whole system design concept. Lovins argued against the conventional thinking that reducing energy usage has to increase costs. Instead, he explained, more efficient design can save both energy and money simultaneously. For example, plant designers can reduce friction — and therefore decrease the amount of electricity needed to drive pump motors — by routing liquids through short, fat, straight pipes whenever possible instead of long, thin, crooked ones. Carbon-fiber car parts are stronger than titanium, but weigh half as much as steel; the lighter the car, the more fuel-efficient it can be. "Efficiency is cheaper than fuel — saving fuel is cheaper than buying fuel," said Lovins. He urged the crowd to get involved with the Rocky Mountain Institute's Factor Ten Engineering (10xE) initiative, which supports the achievement of efficiency gains through whole-system thinking.
Academy Award–winning producer Jon Landau of Lightstorm took the stage to describe how Autodesk MotionBuilder software enabled the production of the movie Avatar. "We were able to do a movie that we could not otherwise do," he told the crowd. Producer James Cameron directed scenes with real actors while using the software and a virtual camera on the set to see how the scenes would play out in the film's fictional setting.
Chief technology officer Jeff Kowalski revealed a few of the "quickly advancing" technologies that Autodesk has in its sights. Regarding laser scanning, which collects data about existing structures and products so CAD models can be created for analysis and design updates, Kowalski said, "Autodesk will be adding feature recognition technologies to capitalize on laser scanning capabilities and incorporate point cloud data into designs." Regarding augmented reality, he said, "We are continuing to develop technologies that blur the distinction between what's in the computer and what's outside the computer. The future of this is coming faster than you think."
Early in the keynote presentation, Autodesk CEO Carl Bass described the continuum of a successful technology, beginning when a technology is thought to be impossible, then progressing through the stages of impractical, possible, expected, and finally, required. He explained that companies do well to adopt a technology once it reaches the "possible" stage — the "sweet spot" that offers the most competitive advantage.
Kowalski concluded the keynote by saying, "The biggest lesson from today is this: Keep looking across this continuum, so you can be ready for the next 'possible.' … This continuum is always moving, and if you're just standing there, you're actually falling behind. So my challenge to you is to evaluate where you are on the continuum. Are you doing just what is expected? Are you taking advantage of things that are differentiators? Are you prepared for what's coming next? The good news is, you are here at Autodesk University. There is no better place for you to discover what's possible, determine what will bring you the most competitive advantage, and decide what to adopt and when."
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About the Author: Cyrena Respini-Irwin
About the Author: Nancy Spurling Johnson
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