If transitioning from one design tool had a soundtrack, it would sound something like this: “Gosh Darn it all! Why doesn’t this flap-jacking thing work like [enter your previous 3D design tool]!!”

That is clearly the sanitized version of the soundtrack. Let’s be honest, we’ve all cussed like sailors on leave when trying to learn a new software, it’s fair to say that we feel your pain. The boss took away, or stopped paying maintenance on your license of SortaWorks and said to you “Hey good news, we moved to Fusion 360 and it only cost us $300 / year.” Basically what he’s telling you is that you are no longer right handed. Good luck with your left hand, starting now.

Because that’s what it feels like. It’s not that you can’t write your name with your other hand, but it takes a hell of a lot longer, and doesn’t look anything like your signature. Your new models in Fusion 360 don’t quite look like your last models in WhateverWorks either. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is as good in the first 90 days using their next design tool as they were their previous. #fact #ijustusedahashtag

Here’s what you might be thinking – I get it, Rob. Switching sucks, how can we make it suck less so we can get to the point where it’s better, faster? People. We’re putting people behind the problem and it will change your relationship with Autodesk. Here’s how it works, take a deep breath because as you might expect, it’s complicated:

Step 1. Connect Fusion 360 Subscribers to Autodesk Experts

Step 2. Help them.

Wait, what? Where’s the fine print? Where’s the dude with the MicroMachines fast voice giving you the legal mumbo jumbo about how this sounds cool, but it’s actually not for you? You won’t find it, it’s just not there. No fine print, no legal mumbo jumbo. Just people, real live people that want to help you close the knowledge gap as quickly as possible, so that you can hone your Fusion 360 ninja skills and look back on your days with Wish It WouldaWorked with a bit of nostalgia, wondering why they chose not to take you to the next generation of design technology. 

Here’s how it works. No matter your ninja skills with your current CAD system, you need some basics on your next one to get started on the right foot. Yes. I spent 20 years on Inventor, knew it so well that I have over 3.5M views of Inventor videos, and I needed a 101 class on Fusion 360. Where are my constraints!? How do I start a new part file!? Is this product even from the same company!!!? Yes, that was me, I was frustrated. So before you go down that same path, we’ve developed a Fusion Quick Start program that we will deliver every other Thursday. It’s not a webinar, it’s instructor led with other experts standing by to answer your questions during the course. You’ll have some hands-on and plenty of opportunity to get familiar with Fusion 360. Will this make you a ninja? No. But you’ll break your first board with a ninja chop and feel a rush of empowerment. 

The first Quick Start is going on right now (this Thursday, March 10). That class filled up in a hurry. The next one is Thursday March 24^th 11am-3pm EST. 

The next one will be two weeks after that, and so on…

Once you’ve attended the Quick Start, that’s your gate to the next phase. I know what you’re thinking – “Rob, I want to jump right into CAM, or Concept Modeling.” Then we spend half of your time in those topics covering how to import files, general navigation, configuration, quick design edits, and so on. Believe me, the Quick Start is time well spent. This is where you will master your ninja skills. Fusion 360 is about a dozen products wrapped up into one Product Innovation Platform. So we’ve broken it up into different 2 hour courses that you’ll be able to enroll in after you’ve completed the Quick Start. They are as follows:

• Concept Modeling using T-Splines 
• Timeline & Unified Modeling Environment
• Team Collaboration & Data Management
• Direct Modeling (this one will surprise you, it’s more than quick edits)
• Rendering & Animation
• Joints & Assembly Management
• Simulation
• CAM

Our objective is to be yet another way for you to close the knowledge gap from where you were with your previous CAD tool and onto Fusion 360 as quickly as possible. We know all the questions you have because every one of us had them while making the transition ourselves. 

-Rob