How Good Are Architects at Using MicroStation?

Architects around the world have been using 2D draughting tools on live projects for over 20 years.  One of the most popular applications for design firms is Bentley Systems' MicroStation platform.

In recent years, KnowledgeSmart's online skills assessment software platform has captured test scores from thousands of Architects, representing hundreds of design firms, spread across six continents and a couple of dozen countries.

We have analysed the results data generated from these live assessments, at a basic skills level, and noted the following trends. For this particular study, the majority of our data is generated in the UK, USA, Australia and Canada (in that order).

A simple key to interpret the data below:

Architect = Job Title
MicroStation = MicroStation 2D skills
1 to 5 = 1 to 5 years' experience using the tool
6 to 10 = 6 to 10 years' experience using the tool
11 to 15 = 11 to 15 years' experience using the tool
Regular = use the tool daily (or almost daily)
Occasional = use the tool weekly (or less than weekly)
Self taught = learned to use the tool primarily 'on the job'
Formal = learned to the tool primarily via formal classroom or online training
All = overall KS benchmark data
AUS = Australia
CAN = Canada
UK = UK
USA = USA

Here is a summary of the results presented by different types of Architects.

Overall

MicroStation score overall: 59.3% in 5040 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/self taught/all = 53.8% in 5249 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/formal/all = 53.1% in 5131 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/self taught/all = 60.4% in 4974 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/formal/all = 59.9% in 4854 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/self taught/all = 59.7% in 4824 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/formal/all = 59.3% in 4754 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/self taught/all = 49.5% in 5657 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/formal/all = 48.8% in 5520 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/self taught/all = 55.3% in 5309 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/formal/all = 55.2% in 5267 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/self taught/all = 55.8% in 5278 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/formal/all = 55.1% in 5222 secs

Australia

MicroStation score Australia: 58.7% in 4873 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/self taught/AUS = 53.6% in 5201 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/formal/AUS = 53.0% in 5160 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/self taught/AUS = 59.2% in 4954 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/formal/AUS = 58.8% in 4889 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/self taught/AUS = 58.8% in 4876 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/formal/AUS = 58.2% in 4565 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/self taught/AUS = 48.1% in 5595 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/formal/AUS = 47.3% in 5476 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/self taught/AUS = 54.9% in 5212 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/formal/AUS = 54.2% in 5131 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/self taught/AUS = 55.2% in 5152 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/formal/AUS = 54.4% in 5059 secs

Canada

MicroStation score Canada: 57.7% in 5172 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/self taught/CAN = 52.7% in 5421 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/formal/CAN = 52.6% in 5387 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/self taught/CAN = 58.2% in 5178 secs 
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/formal/CAN = 57.8% in 5102 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/self taught/CAN = 58.3% in 5046 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/formal/CAN = 57.6% in 5012 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/self taught/CAN = 47.4% in 5754 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/formal/CAN = 46.8% in 5632 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/self taught/CAN = 54.6% in 5512 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/formal/CAN = 53.8% in 5466 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/self taught/CAN = 55.1% in 5432 secs

Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/formal/CAN = 54.7% in 5313 secs


UK

MicroStation score UK: 61.3% in 4859 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/self taught/UK = 55.5% in 5285 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/formal/UK = 55.1% in 5222 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/self taught/UK = 61.5% in 4862 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/formal/UK = 61.1% in 4828 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/self taught/UK = 61.3% in 4901 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/formal/UK = 60.8% in 4788 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/self taught/UK = 49.7% in 5456 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/formal/UK = 49.1% in 5402 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/self taught/UK = 56.3% in 5232 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/formal/UK = 55.6% in 5179 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/self taught/UK = 56.7% in 5143 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/formal/UK = 55.8% in 5056 secs

USA

MicroStation score USA: 59.2% in 5374 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/self taught/US = 54.2% in 5767 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/regular/formal/US = 53.6% in 5647 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/self taught/US = 59.6% in 5387 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/regular/formal/US = 59.2 in 5322 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/self taught/US = 59.5% in 5278 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/regular/formal/US = 59.2% in 5166 secs

Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/self taught/US = 48.4% in 5767 secs
Architect/MicroStation/1 to 5/occasional/formal/US = 47.7% in 5665 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/self taught/US = 55.1% in 5489 secs
Architect/MicroStation/6 to 10/occasional/formal/US = 54.8% in 5447 secs 
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/self taught/US = 55.6% in 5420 secs
Architect/MicroStation/11 to 15/occasional/formal/US = 55.1% in 5391 secs


Observations

All four territories in this study are mature markets, in terms of MicroStation adoption. 

Each country is an established Bentley Systems' market, with a high quality learning and development environment and vendor consultancy support. 

Each country is well supported by professional bodies, AEC industry conferences and established vendor user community groups and online resources.

Overall, regular users are more accurate and faster than part-time users.

Architects with 6 to 10 years' of experience with these tools are the most efficient. They reach a plateau in performance after c. 7 years and make no further productivity gains.

Architects who learn to apply these tools on projects are more accurate than those who have primarily formal training, but less practical experience. Formally trained users are faster overall than self-taught users.


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