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Tools for managing, learning, designing
By Deborah Snoonian, P.E.

Contract Documents
American Institute of Architects
www.aia.org/documents/
(for Windows only)

The new Contract Documents software is form- and field-driven.

A new interface, navigation, and data-entry process are the important features for this overhaul of the AIA’s popular tool. The Contract Documents software now has a formlike entry process, à la Turbo Tax, with prompts, auto-complete functions, and other enhancements that make it less error-prone and faster at tailoring the standard documentation with data specific to a project, firm, or client. Information has to be entered only once—then it’s filled in automatically within each document needed, and stored for use on future contracts. The system now uses Microsoft Word as its editing platform. Users can also make PDFs of contracts to prevent further revisions. Icons guide users through the interface, and a handy “additions and deletions” report shows readers any changes made to the standard AIA language.

3ds max 6
discreet (an Autodesk company)
www.discreet.com
(for Windows only)

3ds max 6 lets users work in many views at the same time.

The newest release of this high-end visualization software offers an integrated ray-tracing rendering tool, a new event-driven particle system, and improved compatibility with Autodesk design software, including an integrated workflow with VIZ to share VIZ Render.

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