Building Better Tools: How One Architect Transformed His Company's Workflows Through Coding

In this episode, I speak with Tom Flaherty, a licensed architect and BIM Manager at a Texas-based residential design firm. We discuss his journey into Revit programming and how he developed custom add-ins that dramatically improved his company's efficiency.

Episode Highlights

• Tom shares his background with programming, starting from childhood when his father (a self-taught programmer at Texas Instruments) taught him the basics
• How Tom's early interest in AutoLISP transitioned to creating Revit add-ins when his firm switched platforms
• Why Tom prefers developing C# plugins over Dynamo scripts for a better user experience and stability
• The challenges of "users not following directions" motivated Tom to create user-friendly tools that enforce standards
• How Tom's custom "Plan Flip" add-in reduced a 4-6 hour process down to less than a minute
• The evolution of Tom's role from Senior Associate to officially recognized BIM Manager
• Current projects Tom is working on, including a "super tagger" that works across multiple views and context-aware renumbering tools
• Advice for architects interested in learning to code: "Don't doubt yourself," and find learning resources that match your style

Time-Saving Tools Discussed

• Sheet creation tool using Excel data to automate naming and numbering
• Plan flipping tool that handles door swings, elevation renaming, and sheet renumbering
• Schedule creation tool that rebuilds missing or deleted schedules
• A project cleanup tool that removes non-compliant elements and unused content

Connect With Us

• Website: ArchSmarter.com
• LinkedIn: Michael Kilkelly
• LinkedIn: Tom Flaherty