Who at Autodesk may we contact about the Fusion 360 Documentation?

[Inspections_JCH]

I would like to speak directly with the person who has both the responsibility and authority to address the questions and concerns related to the lack of solid documentation of Fusion 360. The use of short videos and tutorials is a FAIL. We deserve reference documentation.

The use of a forum seems to be devised as a firewall to prevent us from actually speaking with anyone at Autodesk. It works against us by acting as a gatekeeper.

I would appreciate a response from Autodesk rather than users unless you actually know the person to whom we should be addressing our concerns.

[len_whitehead · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out! I'm probably the person you are looking for. My name is Len Whitehead, and I lead the Documentation team that covers Fusion 360 and the other Manufacturing products. I'd like to learn more about your concerns, and will be following up via private message shortly. 

Thanks,

Len

[len_whitehead]

In addition to the tutorials and videos, you can find the detailed Fusion 360 Help content here:

https://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/?guid=GUID-1C665B4D-7BF7-4FDF-98B0-AA7EE12B5AC2.

[Inspections_JCH]

I have found the material that is available via the URL Link provided by Len Whitehead. I have been there as I look for specific knowledge or answers to every question that I have had. In nearly every case, I fall back to the forum because the information is not found or does not exist in that on-line material. I will be in touch with Len Whitehead with details of my assessment of the "Fusion 360 Help" site.

In many cases, before I arrive at the forum and I ask a questions, it is because the current reference documentation for Fusion 360 lacks depth.

And to use the menu at the top of the website where I would expect to drill down through menu layers, under Support and Learning, I am offered Getting Started, Learn More, and Get Help.... I have been to all three and what I really want is to jump directly to the reference documentation for Fusion 360. It just isn't there. In fact any reference documentation on most specific tasks or "Things I'd Like To Do" are not findable via search even when we know the exact name of the item.

[TrippyLighting]

Agreed on all points!

Not only does the reference documentation have no depth, that which is there is often out of date and to get to it you'll have to click past several pages that over video tutorials that are no replacement for reference documentation. We've discussed that in depth here on the forum mostly to no avail. 

[Anonymous]

I agree the official reference materials are lacking.

If the Fusion team has limited manpower I can understand that they may be more focused on development then documentation; especially when the community (with shining stars like Peter) is so helpful and knowledgeable.

Not to side track, but does anything else think a community wiki would be useful to fill in gaps in the official documentation?

[Inspections_JCH]

@AnonymousA wiki would be better than what we have now. Just be cautious about the idea of a Wiki. My last experience with one was similar to a forum. It becomes one more excuse for the software authors to not do documentation.

The upside to a Wiki is the fact that it would be searchable.

[daniel_lyall]

@Anonymous you are onto it, as Peter said we have tried.

A wiki would be good but that also is what the Autodesk knowledge network is meant to be for but as most users can say they learn most of the modeling stuff here on the forum or one of the facebook groups or from Peter.

[Inspections_JCH]

@daniel_lyallOne issue is the curious way that Autodesk plays with words. If there were such a thing as a "Knowledge Network" Autodesk created the term just so it would not be confused with anything that any other software company uses to share information with its users.

There is very little that is "network-like" about it. The network is a twisted jumble or disconnected strings that lacks usefulness.

The video tutorials offered by Autodesk help new users to a degree, but once past that layer of the "Knowledge Network", there is no serious effort at documenting the software.

Has any one of you ever participated in a study or survey focused on the usability of the documentation? (Not focused on the software usability.)

I believe that Autodesk has taken the request from new users (and students) for video tutorials and has done very little to serve the needs of users with intermediate or advanced skills.

[Anonymous]

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@Inspections_JCH wrote:

I believe that Autodesk has taken the request from new users (and students) for video tutorials and has done very little to serve the needs of users with intermediate or advanced skills.

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Open-software approach. Saves money short-term. Might seriously backfire on Fusion 360 and Autodesk.

Just my two cents.

[hackettet]

I have been using CAD systems for over 30 years, starting with AutoCAD v1.0 that I used to design my current home.  I downloaded Fusion 360 to evaluate as a tool to introduce 3D CAD technology to people with no experience.  No one is going to shell out $1000s for a technology they don't understand or think is impossible to master, and Fusion 360 is the only free system that has any hope of being useful for 3D modeling.  Some commands are pretty simple, but many are obtuse and have no documentation.  The Move/Copy command is a good example.  I had to revert to multiple mirror commands to get the result I wanted.  Help files do not have to be printed.  An example of a good help/instruction system is the one for Rhino 3D, my preferred system of the four I keep on my system.

https://docs.mcneel.com/rhino/6/help/en-us/index.htm#information/welcome_to_rhinoceros.htm

In the left column open the "Command" drop down menu and check out a few.  In my opinion, Rhino's UI isn't perfect (I much prefer item selection on the mouse button release rather than on the button press)  but it is pretty easy to master and the heop files are very thorough..