L146 : Journey of building Avail, BIM Content Management Solution with Randall Stevens

AEC Tech Journeys with Mayur Mistry

The interview covers Randall Stevens' career journey in architecture, 3D graphics, and software development. Stevens graduated in architecture in 1991 and became interested in 3D modeling, rendering, and computer graphics. He started the company Arc Vision, providing 3D graphics services, and developed innovative technologies like RPC (Rich Photorealistic Content). In the 2000s, Stevens recognized the need for simplified 3D modeling tools for a wider audience, as evidenced by SketchUp's success. He has focused on the "democratization of technology", making tools accessible. In 2013, Stevens had the idea for Avail, a content management platform to unite information from the many applications used in architecture firms. Avail was launched in 2017 and now serves leading architecture firms globally. Stevens discusses Avail's visual interfaces, universal content access, integration capabilities, and search functions. He shares his views on AI, focusing tools on quality inputs to get accurate outputs, and content management needs created by new technologies. Overall, the interview covers Randall Stevens' career, insights on technology adoption, and the development of innovative products addressing needs in architecture. It provides perspective on creating accessible tools and managing information in design firms. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:00 - Early Days in Tech 02:00 - Emergence of Key Technologies . 10:00 - Anticipating Future Trends 19:00 - Student Dreams and Ambitions 25:00 - Origins of Avail 35:00 - Funding and Business Models 50:00 - Pricing Considerations 57:00 - Daily Routine as CEO 59:00 - Avail Demo Randall provides a demo of Avail, showing its visual nature for architecture content and capabilities like search, metadata, and previews.