Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Monday, Feb 14, 2005
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Monday, Feb 14, 2005 |
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eWorld
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Interview `Digital' touch to your dream home L.N. Revathy
HAVE you visualised your dream house or project? Approach a builder and explain the model you have in mind. He will roll out a blue-print. The architect will give a `Midas' touch to the interiors. The prototype is ready. All that remains to be done is to translate model into reality. If this sounds like it can be done in a jiffy, perhaps one isn't too far off the mark in today's digital era. For, from conception of a project to actual execution, software can help you draw up and modify models in real time. It helps you to interact with a whole host of people from different sectors, to make your dream home or project a reality. And with minimum waste of time or other resources. Today's fast-track construction projects demand speed, and depend on the contributions of people from all over the world. `Design-build' relationships are on the rise, forcing architects and contractors to work more closely and efficiently. In particular, model-based, `building design' technologies help one to develop construction documentation as a set of views — of a single, consistent building model. Accurate plans, sections, elevations and schedules can be generated from this model. Thus, digital design data opens new opportunities, enhances communication, coordination, and collaboration. Not just in the design phase, but also in the bid, build, and manage phases of a building's life-cycle. Users of digital design technology have recognised the benefits of deploying such solutions. Vishal Dhupar, Managing Director (Saarc Region), Autodesk, shares with eWorld his views on the digital design industry in India. Excerpts from an interview: What, in your perception, could be the factors that fuel the growth of the digital design industry? One of the key beneficiaries of the liberalisation process is the manufacturing industry. India, incidentally, is a favoured destination for high-end manufacturing. The adoption of critical technologies has been rapid across all industries. Design has not been left behind. Various influencing factors have opened up new avenues for Autodesk in India, key among them being the country's emergence as a global design hub. Today, design teams based in India must necessarily collaborate with groups in other locations around the world. The second factor is in scaling up automation and technology adoption among small and medium enterprises (SMBs) and the Indian building industry. The Government's quest to give the country world-class infrastructure has opened up a wealth of opportunity for companies such as Autodesk. What are the business benefits of deploying digital design solutions? The cost saving is significant. The design cycle and time to market is narrowed down. Errors stand minimised because of the system's ability to collaborate over the Net. Above all, the cost of making prototypes and models is saved. What are the trends driving the digital design software market? Three key trends drive this industry. They are:
There has been a significant change in the way business is being conducted today compared to the past, because of the global network effect and the global nature of business. The global network is the by-product of the Internet. Ubiquitous connectivity has changed the utility of the personal computer. The PC was once a stand-alone productivity tool, but now is a globally-networked information tool.
Global business includes materials, parts, talent, expertise, employees, partners, customers, production facilities, transportation, and intellectual property. `Multinational' is no longer synonymous with `large.' Companies, of all sizes, are becoming increasingly adept at using the potential of the global nature of business to their advantage. Keeping design information in digital form sets up a beneficial cycle. Information flows easily through project teams, through companies, and beyond, to partners, suppliers and customers. They can do this without time-consuming, costly, error-prone translation steps.
The third step in the cycle is to efficiently share digital project information. Companies of all sizes are now able to communicate robust content to a wide range of downstream users within and beyond their organisations. This is where the value of rich, intelligent design information really pays off. New ways of sharing information are dramatically reducing, and even eliminating dysfunctional process steps. What are the advantages of digital design software to a customer in real-time transactions? Digital design solutions will give users a significant business advantage and allow them to maintain a leadership position in a dynamic and competitive eco-system. Taking this environment into consideration, it is important that companies in manufacturing and associated disciplines such as building and infrastructure gear up to meet the requirements of an international business ecosystem. The construction business is booming in India. How are you leveraging the potential? To facilitate a more efficient functioning of the entire building lifecycle, we have introduced the Building Information Modelling (BIM) strategy. This supports the project design, scope, schedule and cost information. What is your perspective of the GIS (geographical information systems) segment? We have been involved in digitisation and automation of the mapping and survey process. We have, for the first time, introduced a GIS program in 3D. Our customers now have the benefits of 3D precision mapping and GIS analysis tools. They can generate 3D surface models and record precise spatial information pertaining to asset use and coverage. What do you consider the most serious threat to your business? The most serious deterrent to the growth of the Indian digital design software industry is the creation and use of pirated versions of software. The problem of piracy is a serious one for us here in India. In 2003, the piracy rate was 73 per cent, 3 per cent up when compared to 2002. This is cause for concern. Our plan is to educate common users on the plus points of original software so that customers can insist on authenticity while purchasing any software. Out of every 100 software products sold in India, 73 are pirated. A Business Software Alliance (BSA) survey has shown that globally almost $400 million is lost due to pirated software. According to an IDC economic input survey, a reduction in piracy to 60 per cent from the current level of 73 per cent in India will lead to the creation of 50,000 jobs, $2.6 billion additional business, and $94 million in tax to the government's kitty.
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