MNAUG Challenge #1
(or how to humble yourself every 90 seconds)
In preparation for my next post on strategies for learning ArchiCAD, take a look at the ArchiCAD Competency Challenge. Try a few questions and if you have time take the whole test. It’s tough. It’s humbling. And I learned a lot from taking it over the weekend. More on that later. Also, there are two of us MNAUGers in the Hall of Fame.
As a reminder, here’s the info on the next Minnesota ArchiCAD Usergroup coming up on July 20th.
Dul Kim
I took the test this morning out of whim not knowing what i was getting into and scored 72%. This indeed is a humbling experience and made me think, Is this a good tool for screening initial ArchICAD graduates for job placement? What are your thoughts on it Jared? Do you think it is a suitable screening tool?
Jared Banks
I don’t know that it’s a suitable screening tool as it asks some esoteric stuff. Or maybe it is a decent tool if you accept that a 72% is probably a really good score. The average is around what 55%? I think it’s a great humble machine, as it is a great way to remind us that none of us know everything. It’s been years since I took it last and always mean to, but just haven’t gotten around to it. I should find the time though. As the other thing that is great about the test is that you learn so much by seeing aspects of the program you don’t know. As part of training I think it’s an incredible tool.
So would I hire based on a good score? Perhaps. Or not hire based on a bad score? Probably not. But would I have everyone take it so that they are reminded that just because they think they have a good process doesn’t mean they know shit? Yeah.
One other thought. In addition to breadth of knowledge there is depth and also speed. So someone who might score only a 40 or 50 might be super fast and very comfortable with what they do know. Not sure what that suggests. But it is a good reminder that a good user of ArchiCAD is more than just someone who knows the most. Kind of like the philosophy I espouse here.