The mission, vision, and history of the Autodesk Group Network.
The Autodesk Group Network is a global network of user groups, developer groups, and online groups focused on Autodesk products and associated industry practices.
It started by simply building relationships with group leaders to connect and support existing groups.
The Community Dojo is the program’s first major collaborative and generative project.
Mission and Vision
The Autodesk Group Network envisions a world where people connect in community to share knowledge and collaborate across firms and industries to improve the use of design technology and make a better world.
The mission is to create a global network of user groups and underpin this community with the tools and resources they need to:
Manage user groups
Grow their communities
Connect and collaborate with other leaders
Reach personal and professional goals
Adopt new and better ways of working
Autodesk supports without centrally controlling or owning user groups, and aims to create deeper connections between groups and with Autodesk.
Timeline of Autodesk Community and Groups
The Autodesk Group Network appreciates and recognizes the long and rich history of the Autodesk community and user groups that came before the program's founding.
Jan 30, 1982 - Autodesk founded
1983 - CADalyst magazine launched as the first magazine for AutoCAD users.
It began as a newsletter for the AutoCAD User Group, then became the “journal” for AutoCAD users a year later. Autodesk initially helped fund the printing and distributed the magazine to all registered users. (source)
1986 - there are over 50 local user groups in North America, many of which published newsletters or maintained on-line bulletin boards
1986 - A/E/C SYSTEMS conference was the first National AutoCAD User Group meeting (source)
1989 - The Jacksonville AutoCAD User Group is founded. As of Aug 2020, it is the oldest continually operating local user group.
Late 80's & early 90's - CADCamps were the premier AutoCAD dealer event of the year
Aug 1990 - NAAUG is founded (The North American AutoCAD User Group eventually becomes AUGI)
Autodesk helped in establishing and managing this group
NAAUG had a significant impact on Autodesk’s product direction. Previously customers could only communicate ideas and grievances to Autodesk through dealers or a CompuServe bulletin board. (source)
Oct 1993 - first Autodesk University in San Francisco California.
The first AU was hosted by NAAUG/ AUGI. Autodesk and Miller Freeman Publishing expanded the educational elements of the NAAUG annual meeting. (source)
2019 - Autodesk Group Network is launched at AU 2019 (November)
Nov 2018 - AUGI decides to focus on its publications and disinvests from its program of supporting local user groups (LUGs).
Feb-April 2019 - Autodesk Group Network program is co-designed between the Autodesk Community team and current Autodesk group leaders. The program is designed to include online groups in addition to traditional physical/ local user groups.
Sept 2019 - First group leader call as the Autodesk Group Network
2020 - The Community Dojo website is launched. It is the first collaborative, generative, open source project by leaders within the Autodesk Group Network.
CADHistory.net (BOOK: The Engineering Design Revolution - The People, Companies and Computer Systems That Changed Forever the Practice of Engineering by David E. Weisberg)