Now, Ten Years After, 2004.

My how time flies. It was 10 years ago today that Autodesk Labs was started. Autodesk Technologist, Shaan Hurley, published the Google Earth Extension for AutoCAD and the DGN translator for AutoCAD as the first two of the first technologies to collect feedback on.

The Autodesk Labs process is very simple.

1. Any division within the company can SHARE a technology as a preview. This is done for technologies where there is uncertainty in desirability, feasibility, or practicality.

2. The team COLLECTS and ANALYZES feedback collected during the preview period. Volume and sentiment are two good indicators with respect to technology.

3. The technology preview EXPIRES. Technology previews have fixed start and end dates so no one confuses them with perpetual functionality.

4. Based on the feedback collected, the team determines one of 3 possible paths for the technology.

   • For technologies that do not yet provide CUSTOMER VALUE, the technology is RETIRED. The technology is not necessarily dead. It may come back at a later date or in a different form. It is simply retired for the moment.

   • For technologies that demonstrate value, the team determines if MORE FEEDBACK is NEEDED. If so, a new technology preview is STARTED.

   • When there is already sufficient feedback and customer value, the technology GRADUATES to the NEXT STEP. This can be an alpha, beta, or production release. Sometimes technologies become stand-alone products or services. Other times, they are incorporated into existing products.

To date there have been many technology previews that have started and graduated or retired.

For the ones that are active on this 10 year anniversary, visit the Autodesk Labs site

Thanks to the Autodesk Labs community for 10 years of feedback — all of the email messages, forum posts, and comments via social media. Your experience shapes the future of our technology.

History is alive in the lab.