The Fellowship of Design: Conquering AEC’s Workflow Quests
Bridging the Gap: Insights & Innovations in Construction
Intro
Todd introduces the AU recording, episode focus, and welcomes guest Jessica Brams-Miller to discuss AEC workflows and innovation.
What does it take to turn AEC’s ‘impossible quests’—like coordination, data sharing, and upskilling—into victories? Every great innovation begins with a quest.
Recorded live at Autodesk University 2025 in Nashville, this episode features Jessica Brams-Miller, Director of Design Technology at Hart Howerton, as she leads us through the epic adventure of solving AEC’s toughest challenges — from the Point-Limit Basilisk to the Merge Hydra.
Jessica shares how creativity, collaboration, and a “fellowship of leaders” mindset are helping firms turn roadblocks into victories. When teams share data instead of guarding it like the One Ring, innovation becomes a shared journey — not a solo climb.
💡 Highlights from the conversation- Turning Revit monsters into teachable moments
- Building a fellowship for open knowledge-sharing across firms
- Using tools like Ideate and Forma to forge stronger workflows
- Why innovation means breaking the rule… to rewrite it for good
- Collaboration as the true magic of the modern AEC world
Jessica Brams-Miller is Director of Design Technology at Hart Howerton, where she helps lead a multi-disciplinary team across architecture, planning, and interiors. With a creative spirit and technical mastery, Jessica is on a quest to make collaboration, data-sharing, and innovation part of every firm’s journey.
TODD TAKES Creativity Unlocks the Full Value of ToolsThe opportunity comes when teams think creatively about how to adapt tools to their workflows—whether that’s reimagining site modeling, tiling data, or inventing new approaches. When technology and ingenuity work together, even the toughest constraints become opportunities for innovation.
Share the Map: Open Data > Precious SecretsProgress accelerates when teams talk early, share data, and swap playbooks. Jessica’s “fellowship of leaders” mindset—publishing cleaned workflows, comparing what works, and leaning on partners and tools like Ideate—turns isolated fixes into industry improvements. Collaboration beats siloed genius every time.
New Tech Needs New HabitsAdoption sticks when you pair tools with clear processes and upskilling. Weekly check-ins, consistent updates, baseline skills, and model hygiene turn change fatigue into momentum. Innovation, as Jessica puts it, is knowing the rules—and breaking them for the better.
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