{"id":1906,"date":"2026-04-07T14:58:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T14:58:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/?p=1906"},"modified":"2026-04-07T15:51:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:51:19","slug":"inside-forma-building-design-user-testing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/forma\/2026\/04\/07\/inside-forma-building-design-user-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Forma Building Design: “User testing is an opportunity to help shape how the tool evolves.”"},"content":{"rendered":"
Arne Bjelland is an architect and Principal Product Manager at Forma Building Design<\/div>\n\n\n
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Arne Bjelland (bottom right) leads at Forma Building Design testing session at BPD. Photography by Marcus K\u00f6ppen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Forma Building Design, available in the AEC Collection, Revit standalone license, and Forma for Buildings bundle, helps architects explore more ideas before it’s time for BIM.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n \n \n \nLearn more about Forma Building Design\n\n \n <\/span>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Forma Building Design <\/a>is our first big step in a direction we strongly believe in and one that we\u2019re building side-by-side with architects. From the beginning, we\u2019ve treated user feedback not as a checkbox but part of the daily rhythm of our work. We move constantly between big\u2011picture questions about where design tools should go next to detailed, feature\u2011level feedback rooted in real projects and real constraints<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the most valuable insights come from moments when hiccups appear, so to speak. When users feel that something\u2019s off or seem confused, it immediately shows us where we need to course correct. That feedback is what allows us to improve and continue building a tool that truly supports the way architects think, work, and collaborate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As an architect myself, I know how quickly a tool can either help unlock your ideas or get in the way of them. That experience greatly shapes how we\u2019re building Forma Building Design to open up more design exploration in the schematic phase and help architects test more ideas when it matters most. In this post, we hear from two architects who have been testing Forma Building Design with us. We\u2019re incredibly appreciative of their honesty, enthusiasm, and willingness to dive in \u2014 even during hectic project deadlines. To our community: a big thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Francisco Polo, Design Architect, MVRDV<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At MVRDV<\/a> we are always researching tools that help bridge the gap between early design exploration and more structured BIM workflows. Testing Building Design felt like a natural extension of that mindset and a chance to explore how these workflows could evolve.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being able to test the beta and directly share observations with the development team made the process feel collaborative rather than simply evaluative. From my perspective as a practicing architect, having that ongoing dialogue between designers and developers is extremely valuable, especially at this early stage of the product\u2019s evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Testing the sun hours analysis in Forma Building Design. Image courtesy of MVRDV<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s exciting to test a new design tool and discover what it is capable of. While exploring the beta, I found the building modeling and interior layout tools very compelling. Being able to quickly define building volumes and then dive into floorplan design \u2013 placing walls, windows, and doors intuitively \u2013 makes the process feel both fluid and structured.

What surprised me the most was the facade automation tool. Testing it was fun \u2013 it allows you to quickly generate schematic facade systems and explore multiple design options with impressive ease. At MVRDV, where our work is very research-driven option-oriented, being able to rapidly iterate facade variations and immediately understand how they influence metrics such as daylight potential feels powerful for early-stage design exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n

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