Let’s be honest: while Autodesk University offers fantastic classes, inspiring talks, networking with colleagues, and a chance to connect with industry pros, there are also other benefits. When I attend AU, I'm also on a serious side mission—Operation Brick Man (#OperationBrickMan), my ongoing quest to secure Autodesk minifigs!
I’m writing this while waiting for my plane to AU 2024. I totally botched my flights and have several hours alone in the airport, so I find myself daydreaming about the potential minifig spoils this year may bring. But before we get there, I figured I’d share how #OperationBrickMan began for me.
The initial journey began in 2016 when I saw a post, live from AU, featuring a minifig. I was not in attendance that year but streaming AU from afar. This is when I first spotted the “I Heart AutoCAD” minifig in all its legoey goodness.
With in-person attendance out of the question, I had to get creative if I ever wanted to get one of these figures: I put out calls on forums, my reseller, asked around, and pretty much begged anyone to see if they were willing to part with theirs. No luck. But I wasn’t giving up that easily!
It was 2017 and I heard on the Unprofessional Engineering podcast that the hosts, James and Luke, were planning to attend AU. I ended up recruiting the help of this podcast team that might be nerdy enough to entertain my request. I actually mailed them some Lego “agents” along with some “Have You Seen Me?” polaroids to assist in their hunt.
I also built my Autodesk Lego pixel wall art that year, which would become the future home for my minifig collection. And miraculously, it worked—sort of. James and Luke managed to score an AU minifig for me (not the “I Heart AutoCAD” one), and it was enough to placate my inner nerd for the time.
By 2018, I knew I had to up my game. So, I sent my new Lego “operatives” in a taco truck disguised as a surveillance van, complete with fictional “tracking gear” courtesy of the “Central Noob-telligence Agency.” The taco truck did its job, and the awesome Unprofessional Engineers came through with another Autodesk minifig, making #OperationBrickMan 2018 a win! (Even if it wasn't an "I heart AutoCAD" minifig)
Then, in 2019, I went with a new twist. Inspired by a mad scientist minifig, I crafted a backstory where he created a “clone army” of mini “Unprofessional Engineering” figures to help scour the halls of AU for the "I Heart AutoCAD" minifig. The mission was grand, but alas, 2019 marked the beginning of the Great Minifig Drought. My search would have to pause until the world could reemerge again.
During the pandemic, AU went fully remote. While it was a bit of a letdown for the Lego front, the Expert Elite group surprised us with special minifigs in 2020 as a thank-you for being part of the community—a bright spot during a tough year.
Fast forward to 2022, when the world was waking from its pandemic slumber, I finally attended AU in person. I was ready to dive into #OperationBrickMan with full force, only to find a minifig desert. It was another total bust. And though I tried again in 2023, no “I Heart AutoCAD” minifigs appeared.
But as luck would have it, I made a fantastic connection in the Community Zone with some Autodeskers. During a discussion at AU 2023, someone hinted that the era of the “I Heart AutoCAD” minifigs might be over; however, as part of that conversation, there emerged a glimmer of hope. A connection was made, and an opportunity was put in motion.
Not long after I returned from AU, still reflecting on the awesome event, my mysterious friend came through for me—I found the coveted “I Heart AutoCAD” minifig in my mailbox! I promised not to disclose my lead, but they know who they are, and a big thank you to them.
So, here we are in 2024, with #OperationBrickMan in full swing again. I know I should call it a win and move on since I finally have an "I heart AutoCAD" minifig, but there are far more Autodesk legos out there to collect. Even though I have my precious, I want to see where this adventure takes me.
Here’s to another year of #OperationBrickMan—onward!
