Top Autodesk University Sessions for Construction Risk Teams

top sessions risk

It’s the final countdown! Registration for Autodesk University is live! The all-digital, no-cost event takes place November 17-20 and will bring together the brightest minds  in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. 

Autodesk University 2020 will be completely free to all who register and will begin on November 17. This global digital event will give you the opportunity to learn about the latest and greatest in construction technology. The event has something to offer for everyone, including construction risk teams, who can learn all about strategies and new trends in insurance, safety, and estimating.

top sessions risk

Why Risk Teams Should Attend Autodesk University

Autodesk University is all about the most cutting edge technologies and strategies. For risk teams this means learning about risk adjusted estimating, gaining strategies to enhance the bidding process, understanding insurance approaches, and everything in between. 

This year, Autodesk University will feature 750+ of on-demand and 350+ live Q&A sessions to choose from. AU 2020 will also have inspiring documentaries, theatre talks, opportunities to meet up and connect with peers virtually from around the world, and so much more. Whether you’re new or experienced, there are plenty of sessions to learn from at any level and role.

The Top Sessions for Risk Teams

To help you figure out which of the hundreds of Autodesk University sessions you should attend, we’ve chosen our top picks for construction risk teams to experience the future of construction. 

Note this current session list is a preview only and is not comprehensive. Check our full list here

How Technology and Insurance are Shaping Construction Risk Management

Speaker: Kyle McGee, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Autodesk

A diverse panel of experts will participate in this discussion on how evolving technology and insurance products have shaped the construction risk management practice in recent years to become a more strategic function of a contractor’s business model. The panel will include two product and industry experts from Autodesk, three Autodesk customers (construction risk professionals), one partner from AXA XL (Autodesk’s largest construction insurance partner), and a moderator (Autodesk partnerships team). Topics discussed will include: advantages to different types of construction insurance products; best practices for subcontractor prequalification, risk mitigation planning, site safety, and project incident prioritization; how software and relative workflows act as the foundation of these best practices to ensure the success of your work, and the advantages of your insurance approach.


Risk Adjusted Estimating & Bid Management for General Contractors

Speaker: Laura Watts, Manager of Customer Success, Autodesk

Successful general contractors understand that accurate cost estimates are essential to both project and organizational success. For decades, the cost of construction has been a function of marketplaces: labor, materials, insurances, and fees. However, given increasing project complexity and greater technological capabilities, this reality is changing. The need to both understand and also quantify the risk in performing complex projects will shape the way cost estimates evolve in the very near future.


Sharing Data in BIM 360: Avoiding Risks, Liability, and Disputes

Speaker: May Winfield, Associate Director, BuroHappold

Whilst cloud-based platforms like BIM 360 powerfully connect project teams and data, this very ability to connect in real time – with decisions and actions made based on the connected information – brings a host of potential unintended and avoidable misunderstandings, increased liability and risks. E.g. who is responsible for errors/corruption in data accessed by external parties? Is the party hosting the platform responsible for misuse of the platform and data in it? What obligations do parties accessing the BIM 360 or other platform have to the hosting party? This is an expensive ticking time-bomb of liability and disputes waiting to happen. However, there are presently no resources or practical advices on how to mitigate/avoid such issues or how to explain them to your lawyers so they can help you avoid the risks. In this class, you will be given practical, useful advice and tips on how to reduce risk and clarify parties’ rights and obligations via clear process, guidance and terms.

Learn more about May’s session in our blog, here. 


How Builders Gain a Competitive Advantage Through More Talent and Jobs

Skylar Ritwo, Customer Success Manager, Autodesk

Construction is a relationship-based industry where deals are still closed with handshakes. But in this new competitive world, with limited labor and a growing demand for construction, owners and contractors need a faster way to make connections with the right talent for the right project. Static contact databases and outdated bid-management tools perpetuate disjointed business results, leaving contractors constantly defending their costs and schedules and aggregating potential risk before breaking ground. In this session, you’ll learn how BuildingConnected helps builders discover, invite, and choose the right talent for any type of project while managing their bidding processes from start to finish. You’ll also learn how emerging markets are benefiting from this crowdsourced technology to remain competitive with their clients.


Behind the Numbers - How Can We Improve Constructions KPI's

Speaker: Matt Keen, Senior Industry Strategist, Autodesk

The construction industry has a perception problem and often appears near the bottom of the list when talking about productivity, investment in research and development, and industries that young people want to work in. Each company looks to improve its performance year on year, and this gradual improvement has helped more workers come home safely each day, and incrementally reduce risk. This session will explore the key performance indicators (KPIs) used in the industry, explore if they are the correct KPIs in a rapidly changing industry, and look at ways to improve performance to hit short-term and long-term business goals.

Register for Autodesk University Today

Starting on November 17 all of these sessions along with hundreds more will be available completely for free to all who register for Autodesk University 2020. Register here so you don’t miss out on this year’s global digital event. Want more information on the sessions above and many more? Visit the session list here. We look forward to seeing you then!

Looking for more curated class views? Take a look at our Autodesk University blogs.

Alexa De La Parra Ramirez

Content & Communications Coordinator, Autodesk Construction Solutions