New to Autodesk University? Get Oriented with an #AU2018 Tour

Autodesk University (AU) is a set of events in various countries where Autodesk customers come to learn about technology and take classes on how to use Autodesk products and services. We have an upcoming event in Las Vegas on November 13-15. Forge DevCon is just before on November 12. If you've never been to Autodesk University, you can show up for an orientation tour.

The orientation tour is a great way to prepare you for the event. It helps new attendees become familiar with AU and the event venue. The tour introduces attendees to the locations of key event spaces and highlights not-to-be-missed events. The guided tour helps attendees understand all of the ways that they can connect and learn from each other at AU.

Tours are available on:

• Sunday, 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm
• Monday, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Tuesday, 7:00 am - 10:00 am

The tours begin every half hour and last 30 to 45 minutes. There is no need to register. Attendees simply drop-in. There will be 12 people per tour group.

The guided tour has 9 stops.

1. The Hub

   

   The Hub will be the place where attendees will check-in to start their tours. They'll pick up their registration packets there on their first day. The Hub includes a Meetup Café and the Autodesk Store (AU swag). Various events will happen in The Hub during the week such as the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Welcome Reception, Women at AU Networking Reception, and Farewell Happy Hour. Attendees will walk through The Hub to get to events such as the Opening General Session keynote, AEC Keynote, and Product Design & Manufacturing Keynote.

2. Venetian Foyer

   

   The Venetian Foyer will be the gateway to events like the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) & Structural Fabricators Keynote, Lunch Panel on Subscribing Confidently with Usage Data, Autodesk Users Group International (AUGI) meeting, Enterprise Lounge, and Sunrise Yoga (nearby in Galileo 1001).

3. The Theater

   

   The AU Theater will feature 15-minute TED-like talks from industry and thought leaders organized around important trends and themes. Topics will include advances in generative design, the future of machine learning and artificial intelligence for design, and how design-to-make and design-to-build are converging. The theater will also host the Media & Entertainment Welcome Reception, a screening of Project Impossible (History Channel series about audacious engineering projects), lunch and learns about Autodesk accounts and subscriptions, and an AU Global Meetup. Attendees will be able to check the marquee to determine which events they'd like to attend.

4. Venetian I/J

   

   Venetian Halls I/J will feature a Tech Trends Panel on Tuesday, the “Rock the Stadium Design Slam | Sponsored by Z by HP” (features 3 competitions focused on the design of a sports stadium, the infrastructure around the stadium, and the equipment used by the team within the stadium) on Wednesday, a Play Hard Mixer (precedesThe Advance Party on Wednesday night  at the LINQ Promenade (live music, entertainment, great food, fun activities).

5. Hall C

   

   Hall C is where everyone will eat breakfast. New this year, the hall will also feature Breakthrough AU — An Escape Room Experience. Games will be available Monday through Thursday. Attendees enroll in advance through the course catalog or join teams created by first-come, first-served walk-ins. The interactive experience will not require any special knowledge to play, will last 45 minutes, and will provide participants with a chance to use in-game tools to solve challenges in construction and manufacturing to move from one room to the next.

6. The Expo

   

   The Expo will include interactive galleries and displays featuring AEC, infrastructure, and manufacturing as well as the convergence of these industries. The Expo will also host network lunches, the Community Reception on Tuesday, The Factory (end-to-end design process to make an air quality sensor that doubles as a desktop lamp), The Answer Bar (talk one-on-one with Autodesk product specialists), and Community Quads (one on one sessions with Autodesk executives). Autodesk employees and others will be conducting Expo Tours. Lunch will be served in The Expo each day.

7. Idea Exchange and Sands Level 1

   

   The Idea Exchange on Sand Level&nnsbp;2 will be the place for attendees to provide feedback to Autodesk about our products and services. On Monday, attendees will go down the stairs to Sand Level 1 for the Product Design & Manufacturing Reception, the Education Community Welcome Reception, and the Transportation Welcome Reception. There will also be meeting rooms and other ad hoc meeting spaces on that Sands Level 1.

8. Classrooms

   

   The tour will trek up the escalators to the classrooms. Classes are a significant aspect as to what AU is all about.

   • Level 3
     • Product Design & Manufacturing classes
     • Speaker Ready room
     • The Self-Paced Lab
     • Campus Lounge - Murano 3301A
   • Level 4
     • AEC & Design Visualization classes
     • Certification Lab
     • Campus Lounge - Lando 4301A
   • Level 5
     • Preconference events
     • Excellence in AEC Awards Breakfast on Tuesday

9. Back at The Hub

   

   The guided tour will end at The Hub. Tour guides will remind attendees to install the AU Mobile App. iOS and Android versions are available.

Thanks to Rachel Reader, Autodesk Manager of AU North America Events, for the materials used in this blog post.

Can't make a tour? Check out this 2-minute video:

See you in Las Vegas.

Orientation is alive in the lab.