Related Family Members - An Idea

[Anonymous]

Forgive me, I ask this question as an avid gamer as well as a practicing architectural technologist. 

Will we eventually see functionality for multi-model families and Related Family Member systems?  For example, placing a toilet, I may want to then place a toilet roll holder. Or placing a laundry machine, I might want to identify the cutout in the wall for the hose connection recess. And then when repeated in many suites of only minor variation, each item can flex its position slightly to suit common variations.

We see these related family members in other software, see below an image from SimCity, where adding a department to City hall brings up a second placement function where the hall is highlighted, and available locations for the related element is identified. 

I know this isn't a necessary addition, as I could simply place two families and/or make model group variations. What I see moving forward is a more free form model group system. Within the "Bathroom Type A" system we will always have the same families/types, however they can be placed uniquely in each group relative to the group's base point. Then should you decided to change one element, like swap out Towel Rails for Towel Hooks. We could have this echo'd in each "Bathroom Type A" regardless of the position of the Towel Rail.

Then, if later I place Related Family Member system "Bathroom Type A" I would sequentially place each individual element in the family in the new location. Toilet>Toilet's paper holder; WasherDryer>Hose Connection; Towel Hook. This would, in theory, eliminate the need for endless variations of types given small differences in suites (chases, bulkheads, different wall depths)

While this could rapidly devolve into an error soup, having seen it done in other mediums (primarily games) will it find it's way into Revit in the future.  Modular and repetitive design are here to stay, would not this functionality streamline the design, redesign, and scheduling process. 

An example:
Convention Centre with multipe conference rooms: Each conference room needs 1 main table, 2 side tables with Lamps, 12 chairs, a coffee machine, a fridge, and a mic'd pulpit. 

Place "Conference Room Typical" Related Family System
Place Main Table>Place 10 Chairs; 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
Place Side Table>Place Lamp>Place/Identify Electrical connection
Place Side Table>Place Lamp>Place/Identify Electrical connection
Place Chair 11
Place Chair 12
Place Coffee Machine>Place/Identify Electrical connection
Place Fridge>Place/Identify Electrical connection>Set Door Swing Orientation
Place Pulpit>Place Microphone>Place/Identify Electrical connection>Place Ceiling Speakers
Finish

[Daniel_ADSK]

Dear Phr8, 

Thank you for your idea. I understand you want multi-model families and Related Family Member systems functionality in future versions of Revit. 

It is an interesting idea that you got inspiration from SimCity. I am not product owner of Revit, but I can give you some suggestion about this issue. Revit models are consist of many different levels of components, from groups to families and even nested families. If we make full use of groups and nested families, we can achieve multi-model famines to some extend. For example,  we can nest Lamp family into side table families and use a parameter to control the visibility of the Lamp in the main model. Related family Members could be a little difficult to achieve, but you can always choose or alter to similar family types from the properties drop down menu. 

I suggest you can post your idea at Revit Ideas - Autodesk Community  which is monitored by our Revit development team and please free to let us know if you have any further queries. 

Thank you. 

Regards, 

Daniel 

[bin]

Interesting but no thanks, I don’t want architects touch my Revit model. 

[Anonymous]

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@bin wrote:

Interesting but no thanks, I don’t want architects touch my Revit model. 

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Who said anything about Architects? If anything, I feel like this added layer of complexity would allow for more control by technologists, and less control by architects.  The idea would be to keep decision making (changing to towel hooks) in the hands of the architect,  while keeping the Revit operation (editing a Related Family Member) in the hands of the technologist. 

[ToanDN]

So is it like Amazon shopping suggestion algorithm? "People who bought this gas oven also bought that fire extinguisher two days later" kind of thing?

[Anonymous]

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@ToanDN wrote:
So is it like Amazon shopping suggestion algorithm? "People who bought this gas oven also bought that fire extinguisher two days later" kind of thing?

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Oh that's an interesting idea; the component you're placing could inform the next component it might expect. Personally, I meant more like a family which has two or more members.
Like a desk + chair or a Conference Table + Telephones.  Things that tend to come as a set. Like a gymnasium for a high school = Two hoops+Two Bleachers+3 Water fountains+A Ball bin.

I could see the algorithm identifying pairs of things for you, "oh, you're placing a TV stand, want a TV too?" But I'm not such a fan of getting proprietary, "Oh you're placing an Ikea table, want and Ikea bed?"