Nikki Phipps is a freelance writer of numerous articles and other publications, including the premiere issue of Perspectives Magazine. She also maintains a gardening site, GardenCrypt in her spare time. Drawing inspiration from family and past experiences, Nikki believes everyone has something to say that can benefit others, which is why she turned to writing.  “There’s no better tool for learning than that of personal experience.” Nikki resides in NC with her two children and three stepchildren.

Name of Product: Autodesk Project Draw

Link to Product/website: http://draw.labs.autodesk.com/ADDraw/draw.html

Description of Product: “Project Draw is a new feature-rich web-based vector drawing application…Use it to create simple floor plans, electronic-circuit diagrams, network diagrams, user interface mock-ups, and more.”

Nikki’s Description of Product: Project Draw from Autodesk is a free, web-based drawing application. There are no plug-ins or downloads required to use this program. While it is recommended to register and create an account with them, you don’t have to unless you would like to access all its features, such as saving or sharing, or take advantage of other Autodesk programs—many of which are free to try. This program is useful for creating various diagram sketches and floor plans.  Some of the Autodesk Project Draw’s features include:

- Predefined, drag and drop shapes, which are used to create custom diagrams.
- Ability to edit work—size, move, zoom, color, and more. Users can also delete object as needed.
- Ability to save, print, and even export diagrams in a variety of formats such as PDF, JPG, PNG, and others. This feature also allows  users to easily share their work with others.
- Ability to embed images into web sites and update them automatically as changes are made.
- Compatibility with other browsers like Internet Explorer and Firefox.

How the Product can be used for Homeschooling: While the Autodesk Project Draw program doesn’t pose any safety issues or concerns, I would definitely recommend that parents use this with their children. Perhaps an exception could be made for older kids, middle school and up.

As far as using Autodesk Project Draw for homeschooling, I imagine it could be integrated into various Math or Science lessons, and definitely Technology subjects. It might also be helpful for those interested in pursuing drafting, construction, interior design, architecture, and related careers. Again, however, I would stress its use with older kids, as it seems quite advanced for younger ages. Of course, the basic shapes could be useful for creating drawings with younger ones as they are learning about geometric shapes and other aspects of geometry.

Nikki’s Experience Using the Product: I did try this out with my thirteen-year-old son. He is very interested in becoming an architect, so I thought his opinion here would be useful. He played around with it a bit, and even created a simple picture using the basic shapes. 

While this was easy enough, the diagramming was somewhat challenging. I attempted a basic floor plan of our kitchen, with my son’s help, but quickly became aggravated with the sizing features and had trouble placing certain objects in their designated locations. Apparently, one must be more techno-savvy to get the gist of the program.  It could just be me, but even my son recommended that it be used with older kids.

Tutorial or Promotional Video of the Product:

You can also click on the Getting Started tab for step-by-step instructions. In addition, there is a user guide located in the Docs and Links section under Help.

Summary: Overall, I thought the program was pretty nifty. However, I strongly believe it should be used with older kids. I also believe that in some instances, it could be incorporated into homeschooling lessons. I do have to note that while poking around the Autodesk site for possible educational uses, I found the company offers various design software and curriculum, which cover Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. These are often used in conjunction with classroom settings and perhaps homeschooling too. The Autodesk Student Engineering and Design Community also provides free design software and resources to students interested in following these career fields. This could be well worth checking out.