Optimising the time spent on creating sketches and technical drawings is crucial to improving efficiency and productivity, and getting your work done faster. Here are six key tips for speeding up the process while maintaining the quality of your work.

1. Using pre-existing models and templates

Use of pre-existing models and templates to speed up the design process

Extract from our library of 2d sanitary appliances

Extract from our library of 2d sanitary appliances available on our sanitary book or CAD

The use of pre-existing models and templates is an effective strategy for optimising time and ensuring consistency in the creation of technical drawings and sketches. These tools reduce repetitive tasks and speed up the design process, offering ready-to-use elements that simplify the work of interior designers.

The standard floor plansthe furniture templates and models of common parts are invaluable resources for avoiding redundancy in the creation of new projects. For example, having templates for common floor plans makes it easy to quickly create preliminary sketches for different types of room, without having to draw every element from scratch. Similarly, common furniture and object templates make it easy to incorporate standard furniture elements into designs, ensuring consistency in representations and reducing the time spent on detailed tasks.

CAD software such as AutoCAD and Archicad offer robust features for saving and using custom templates. You create 2D and 3D drawing modelsThese templates can be used to adjust line styles, line thicknesses and even predefined page layouts. These templates not only save time, but also ensure consistency across projects. For example, you can prepare a library of 2D drawings with the right pens, a consistent style, defined presets and basic layouts. This standardises drawings and facilitates subsequent modifications, while maintaining a professional presentation.

The creation of a library of pre-configured 3D models is also essential. These models need to be at the right scale, with the appropriate textures and the desired drawing or outline styles. With these elements ready to use, you can quickly integrate objects and elements into your projects, saving precious time.

For even greater efficiency, a pre-established layout can be used. By having predefined layouts for your presentations, you can simply drag your plans and images into the presentation templates without having to recreate everything each time. This saves a considerable amount of time, especially when you need to produce renderings or documents for several projects.

To help you make the most of your time and improve the quality of your presentations, HI Architecture Detail offers you a range of tools and resources. We offer 3D plans with predefined pens and dimensions in a sober and elegant style, guaranteeing a clean rendering that gives you a smooth style and a beautiful presentation.

We've also prepared construction plans in digital format that you can use as they are in your design software, or modify as required to adapt the projects to your creative vision. These tools are designed to help you create high-quality projects more quickly and efficiently, while allowing you to concentrate on the creative part of your work.

2. Adopting Rapid Drawing Techniques

Rapid drawing techniques play an essential role in the interior design process, allowing ideas and concepts to be captured efficiently without getting lost in technical detail. These techniques, such as freehand sketching and gesture sketching, are designed to unleash creativity and encourage rapid exploration of ideas before moving on to more precise design stages.

Le freehand sketch is particularly useful for quickly sketching out concepts and ideas. This method allows you to draw fluidly and spontaneously, capturing the essence of an idea without worrying about technical details. The right pens and pencils play a crucial role in this phase. Use drawing tools such as pencils of different hardnesses to vary lines and shading, or ink pens for sharper lines. By concentrating on general shapes and proportions, you can develop visual concepts that will serve as a basis for more detailed drawings later on.

The gesture sketches are another effective technique that encourage a free and dynamic approach to drawing. They allow you to capture the movement, proportions and overall composition of a room or layout. This type of drawing is particularly useful for quickly exploring different options and adjusting ideas before committing to more detailed drawings.

In addition to rapid drawing techniques, an effective approach involves print out the plan of your project (before the renovation you need to do or simply with the load-bearing walls) and use a transparent layer to sketch out initial layout and design ideas. This method allows you to work on concepts in a tangible way, layering layers to test different configurations without altering the original plan. The transparent layer offers additional flexibility for adjusting and refining ideas before digitising them and incorporating them into design software.

This manual approach frees up your creativity, giving you the space to freely explore ideas and concepts without the technical constraints imposed by drawing software. Once the main ideas have been sketched out, you can move on to digital drawing, using tools such as AutoCAD or Archicad to fine-tune the technical details and create precise plans. (article on the advantages and disadvantages of Autocad and Archicad)

By integrating these rapid drawing techniques into your design process, you can not only speed up the initial creative phase, but also develop more innovative concepts that are better adapted to the needs of your projects. By using freehand sketches, gesture sketches and transparent layers to explore ideas, you ensure a smooth transition to the technical drawing phase, while maximising your creativity and efficiency.

3. Using digital drawing tools

Digital tools such as graphics tablets and CAD software offer features that can considerably speed up the drawing process. Duplication options, layers and automatic correction tools save time by simplifying modifications and enabling rapid adjustments. Using keyboard shortcuts and custom commands in software such as SketchUp or Revit can also improve efficiency. (see article on the tools you need for your job:coming soon)

4. Organising and standardising your workflows

Optimising Creation Time: Organisation and Standardisation

Efficient organisation is crucial to maximising productivity and reducing delays in the creative process. By adopting standardised processes and structuring your files correctly, you can not only save time, but also improve the quality and consistency of your projects. Here are some practical tips for efficient organisation, with concrete examples of how to structure file names and standardised processes for interior designers.

1. Create Standardised Processes

Standardised processes streamline routine design stages, reducing the time spent on project management and improving overall efficiency.

• Setting up layers Define standard layers for each type of information (e.g. walls, windows, furniture, plumbing) and apply them systematically to all your projects. For example, in AutoCAD you can create layers called Existing_Walls, Furniture, Electricityetc. This makes it easier to manage the elements in your drawings and to make changes in a quicker, more organised way.
• Managing object libraries Use pre-configured object libraries to speed up the integration of furniture and components into your projects. Organise these libraries according to categories (e.g. : Chairs, Tables, Lighting) and styles (e.g. : Modern, Classic). By using pre-configured objects, you can reduce creation time and ensure consistency of style and presentation.
• Definition of Drawing Standards Establish standards for line styles, symbols, dimensions and annotations. For example, define that dimension lines must be in 0.5 mm thickness and blueThe door symbols must be uniform throughout the drawings. This consistency ensures that your drawings are clear and professional, making them easy to read and understand.

At HI Architecture Detailwe offer you 2D and 3D object libraries carefully pre-configured to meet your design needs. These libraries include a wide range of ready-to-use elements, with predefined settings such as line styles, exact dimensions, and specific configurations, allowing you to integrate these objects directly into your projects without having to set them up from scratch.

Each item in our libraries is designed to fit perfectly with your design needs, with carefully crafted details to ensure maximum precision and consistency. You can easily drag and drop these objects into your plans, then customise them according to your preferences to match the style and requirements of your project.

By using our pre-configured objects, you save precious time on repetitive tasks and technical adjustments, allowing you to concentrate more on the creative and strategic aspects of your work. Whether you need furniture, decorative elements or technical components, our libraries are there to simplify your design process while guaranteeing professional quality.

We are committed to providing you with tools that improve your efficiency and optimise your projects, enabling you to realise your ideas with greater precision and speed. With HI Architecture Detail You'll benefit not only from practical resources, but also from an elegant presentation that enhances your renderings and facilitates your workflow.

2. Structuring file names

A consistent nomenclature for file names makes them easier to manage and find. Here are some examples of how to structure file names for interior architecture projects:

• File name format Use a standard file name format that includes key information such as the project name, date and version. For example, a file for a floor plan could be named NomProjet_Etage_01_2024_V1.dwgwhere ProjectName is the name of the project, Floor_01 specifies the type of plan, 2024 is the year, and V1 indicates the version.
• Organisation by Folder Structure your work folders into logical categories. For example:
  • 01_Projects (contains all current projects)
    • ProjectName
      • Plans
        • Plan_Etage_01.dwg
        • Plan_Etage_02.dwg
      • Reports
        • View_3D_01.jpg
        • View_3D_02.jpg
      • Documentation
        • Specifications.pdf
        • Cahier_Charges.docx
  • 02_Libraries
    • Objects
      • Furniture
      • Lighting
    • Symbols
    • Textures
• Versions and Revisions Include version and revision information in file names to track changes. For example, Final_Concept_Name_V2.dwg indicates that this is version 2 of the final design plan.

3. Using Templates and Presets

• Drawing templates Create and use drawing templates for common types of plan. For example, a template for floor plans could include predefined layers, dimension styles and standard symbols. This reduces the time needed to set up each new project.
• Style presets Develop design style presets, such as line, colour and font styles, which can be applied automatically. This ensures visual consistency across all your projects.

By implementing these organisational and standardisation practices, you can significantly improve the efficiency and quality of your work. Adopting standardised processes for managing layers, objects and drawing standards, and using consistent nomenclature for file names and folders, will help you to manage your projects more smoothly and professionally.

4. Automate Repetitive Tasks

Automating repetitive tasks is a powerful lever for optimising time and improving efficiency in architectural design. By integrating automation tools such as scripts into AutoCAD or macros into Archicad, interior designers can lighten their workload and focus more on the creative aspects of their craft. Here's a detailed look at how these tools can transform your design process.

5. Scripts and Macros for Automation

AutoCAD and Archicad are two CAD software packages widely used in interior architecture, and each offers automation features to make repetitive tasks easier.

• Scripts in AutoCAD Scripts: AutoCAD supports the use of scripts, which are sequences of commands saved as text files. These scripts can be used to automate tasks such as creating dimensions, adding standard details such as hatching or symbols, and applying specific text styles. For example, a script can automatically generate annotations for all the windows in a layout, adjust their size and style consistently, and place the necessary dimensions without manual intervention. This reduces the risk of errors and considerably speeds up the implementation of repetitive details.
• Macros in Archicad Archicad, on the other hand, uses macros, which are sets of automated instructions built into the software to perform specific tasks. Macros can be configured to perform tasks such as creating walls, adding furniture or generating sectional views. By recording a series of common actions in a macro, you can apply these actions to multiple projects or elements with minimal effort. For example, a macro can apply a particular presentation style to all planes in a project, or adjust rendering parameters for specific views, saving you time and ensuring consistency.

6. Integration of Plugins and Extensions

In addition to scripts and macros, the integration of plugins andextensions can offer additional functionality to speed up recurring processes in your design software.

• Plugins for AutoCAD and Archicad There are a variety of plugins available for AutoCAD and Archicad that add advanced functionality for managing repetitive tasks. For example, AutoCAD plugins such as "Batch Plot can be used to manage the printing of several drawings simultaneously, while extensions such as "CadImage for Archicad provide tools for automating the creation of complex architectural details. These tools can also integrate object libraries and predefined styles, facilitating the rapid application of design standards and reducing the time spent on manual configuration.
• External Automation Tools In addition to specific plugins, external tools such as Zapier or Integromat can be used to automate tasks between different software packages and platforms. For example, you can set up an automated system to synchronise updates to your project files between your CAD software and your project management tools, or to automatically generate reports and tracking sheets from your technical drawings.

7. Benefits of Automation

Adopting these automation tools has a number of significant advantages for interior designers:

• Time saving By automating repetitive tasks, you can reduce the time spent on manual, recurring tasks, allowing you to concentrate more on the creative and strategic aspects of your work.
• Precision and consistency Automation minimises human error and ensures consistency in drawings and documents. By applying predefined standards and configurations, you can ensure that all aspects of your projects meet the same quality standards.
• Increased productivity By integrating automation tools, you increase your ability to manage several projects simultaneously and respond more quickly to customer needs, thereby improving your overall productivity.

In conclusion, automating repetitive tasks through scripts, macros, plugins and extensions offers a valuable opportunity to optimise time and improve efficiency in the field of interior design. By adopting these tools, you can free up time for more creative and strategic tasks, while ensuring greater precision and consistency in your projects.

6. Working effectively with teams

Effective collaboration with team members and other building professionals is crucial to saving time. Use online collaboration platforms to share files, discuss changes in real time, and coordinate tasks. Tools such as BIM 360 or online sharing functions in software such as Archicad enable smooth communication and avoid errors caused by misunderstandings or obsolete versions of files.

Conclusion

By implementing these tips to optimise your time, you can speed up the creation of sketches and technical drawings while maintaining a high level of quality. Adopting rapid drawing techniques, using digital tools, organising your workflow efficiently, automating repetitive tasks, and collaborating harmoniously are essential strategies for improving your efficiency and succeeding in the field of interior architecture.