Physical Evidence

I've talked about the concept of paperless offices before, and I have to admit, it's an impressive task for those who can convert to a totally digital format.

Unfortunately - most of what my job still consists of is distilling information and getting it on paper.

Paper obviously has its draw-backs - the most expensive being maintenance and supplies for printers/plotters, ink, paper (of course) letter/ledger and 18"/30"/36" rolls, and handling paper (especially large format plots) can be a pain in the ass.  Paper tears, it can burn, it can cut, it gets crumpled easily, water damages paper/ink, long-term storage can require special humidity, temperature, and light conditions - even insects and rodents are a concern.  Physical storage can become an issue, figuring out where the hell something went is another.  Digging through it all and trying to figure out what the/when the/why the fuck can be time consuming, and so can putting it all back where it belongs (and god help you if the last person didn't).


Still, despite its many drawbacks, there's a reason paper persists into the digital age - and it's not just a sadistic desire to kill trees, it's that paper provides you with *physical* evidence.  People (including people with jurisdictional authority, who can make or break a project by approving/denying proposed designs, building permits, or certificates of occupancy) like paper for the way it provides a physical record that can be accessed and reviewed, anywhere, at any time, by anyone without the need of a computer, pad, phone, program, reader or reader.

You will never open a roll of drawings and find a sticky note that says 'I'm sorry - you need to download/update/purchase blah blah blah in order to view these drawings (or write on them).  There are no 'versions', no compatibility issues, no resolution problems. There are no 'load times' (although unrolling a set of drawings, rolling it backwards to flatten it out, and then flip to the drawings you need can take a bit - but we'll get to the many advantages of digital in a minute), there is no need to pan/zoom, stretch onto multiple monitors, or make use of viewports in order to be able to see the whole drawing at once.


I can print out a project, take it into a meeting, mark on it, get other people to mark on it, and people take it with them without the need for e-mail, USB stick, CD, or any other kind of media, - no cables/adapters, no network, wi-fi, or bluetooth, no corrupted files, no lagged out downloads, no files that exceed maximum size for someones cheap-ass free-mail, no need for a user name/password to log into an ftp server - AND at any time it can be scanned/copied to digital format too!

Now, with all of that said - I obviously use digital formats constantly while in contact with clients, client representatives, equipment suppliers, factory reps, contractors, sub-contractors, planners, developers, and of course the aforementioned authorities having jurisdiction, utility companies, and people within my own company, and the ability to share .pdf files, document and image files, CAD (and even Revit) files is irreplaceable.

Digital files give you easy access to what would require hours of digging through vast piles of crap.  You don't have to wait for a physical package to arrive (although we do occasionally still get CD's or thumb-drives with larger (or bloated) files - hello again Revit!), as long as they are consistently backed up, with off-site storage, and are organized in such a way that you can actually locate what you are looking for (if I'm looking through the sixth folder named 'EXISTING' filled with files called XBDD009234.PDF trying to find an existing drawing that somebody scanned in, then somebody dropped the fucking ball (not the digital formats fault). 

Another thing to keep in mind is the physical server and network in an office - I've griped about the ridiculous demand that Revit places on a network/server due to the massive files it generates, and even aside from that - unless you double as the IT guy at your office, then you are almost certainly at the mercy of an IT guy (or guys) for your ability to have a functioning computer, software, network, server, as well as security, data redundancy, and as I always warn people - NEVER piss off the IT guy.

They come in a wide variety - in the time I've been at this firm, there have been several iterations (always be aware that your IT guy(s) can change at any time - things might stay the same, they might improve, or they might become totally fucked.).  When I started it was one laid back older guy and one stereotypical overweight geek - they could barely handle the demand.  Part of the problem was that the older guy was taking the money budgeted for building computers and upgrading equipment, picking up the cheapest crap he could find, and pocketing the difference.  I had the power supply fail in my computer one time, and he was convinced that it was my battery backup.  I finally showed him that even plugged directly into the wall, that after a few minutes of run time, that the thermal overload would trip, give it a few minutes to cool down, and it would come back on.  He replaced my perfectly functional battery backup with an either non-functioning (or undersized) one, before finally conceding and putting a new power supply in my machine.  Then a few weeks later a power flicker informed me that my computer was no longer actually backed up with a battery anymore (and yes - I had it plugged into the right side of the power strip on the backup - I'm not a fucking idiot).

The next iteration was just the fat kid - that didn't last long because he basically refused to do anything that required him to stand up and walk, and he was quickly replaced by a (basically waaaay overqualified) guy who stepped in, and managed to get things under control somewhat, but it was obvious he had no intention of staying - so it wasn't surprising when he took a job a few months later doing network security for a government agency.  We had a guy switch gears from design to IT, and despite trying really hard, he was flailing until they brought on our current IT guru - this dudes network kung fu is VERY strong!  It took him a while to get all of the bugs worked out of the cobbled together system, but now things are like clockwork.

This all relates to the topic at hand, because once you go digital, you are opening yourself up to risk, some (if not all) of which is not under your own control.  It pays to know who the fuck has control of it, and if there is any question, then take necessary measures.  If I have an important project nearing completion and I've been pounding the shit out of it every day for 10+ hours, I will make my own goddamned backups, because I don't trust anyone (not even the guru) to care about my files as much as I do.

Anyway, whether you can keep people doing things consistently or not, the digital aspect of this kind of work is here to stay,  and since I've never done a single project 'by hand' in my life, you won't hear me defending that kind of throwback, but just the same, I do caution against over-dependence on (or falling for the various myths about) technology. 

I keep ledger-sized hard copies of everything I am working on - for quick review with anyone who walks into my office, calls me, or if I get pulled into a meeting.  I have to keep them updated, but it gives me confidence that I have a miniature set of the actual deliverable in my hands.  If there are any mistakes, they are right there in black and white.  I have caught things on printed drawings that I would have missed - no matter how long I (or anyone else) stared at them on the screen (in CAD, Revit, or .pdf).

I do keep a hand written project list. I've got due dates and whatnot in Outlook, but I can refer to this concise sheet and see (or show someone) all of the projects I currently have going on, with notes about the status, what I'm missing, etc.  When it starts to get messy I will take a minute to copy it over fresh, and I can see exactly where I stand.  I figure it's the only real handwriting that I do anymore (besides scribbling notes on stuff), and stuff seems to stay with me longer if I hand write it (better than typing it - although that helps too).  Once projects are issued, they go into my archive list (word document - so I can format it however the fuck I want - although I'm surprised I don't keep it in a CAD file), for ease of searching by job# or project name.

Digital formats are awesome, and have already eliminated a lot of paper from my job, but I don't see myself (or my boss - who isn't so much anti-technology as he is anti-bullshit) carrying around a pad.  I've seen them put to excellent use around the office, and in the field - but they don't fill any 'void' in my life, and still seem to come across as a fancy toy for douchebags (sort of like blackberries and smart phones when they first came out - or.. even now).  For every guy I've seen using one to efficiently combine a camera, notebook, and miniature computer, marking up drawings, etc. - I've seen dozens of guys dragging them everywhere and wasting time trying to do things that would take seconds with a simple piece of paper and pen (while looking exceedingly douchebaggy while doing it).

I think  my problem comes less from technology than it does from people who fall for the sales pitch, and then seem to suffer from the need to have their choice to shell out cash and change the way they do everything validated by those around them.  If they are able to do things more efficiently, then more power to them, but I don't give a fuck, and won't be giving one anytime soon.