CODA For Architects

This is a tool that could be a game changer for your firm.

CODA For Architects

Coda is like a suite of apps all rolled into one, and the team orientation makes this really powerful for your in-house processes. I have created an example that you can play with, but more about that at the bottom of the post.

A Quick Look At What Coda Is Like

This is a screen recording of a little project that I’m working on. I started using Trello for this Playroom; then switched to Coda. Coda let’s me view sketches right in the Doc. 

Each file in Coda is called a Doc. A Doc can have as many pages and subpages as you need. Any page can contain anything. Lots of issues work best in tables - list of drawings, budgets - and they are easy to build and also very powerful. Any record in a table can have any kind of data - text, numbers, checkboxes, list, image, link, formulas, etc.
This link takes you to my Coda Doc resources.

I can add checklists anywhere. Collapsible paragraphs are really handy for getting around, or add a live outline like I have here to jump to what you want. With a little effort I added a formula that references my table of Drawings to predict my completion date. The point is: you can do just about anything. You don’t have to learn someone else’s organization scheme.

Cost

​Let’s address cost right off the bat because ultimately that’s what the decision to get a new tool comes down to. The good news is that most architects can take advantage of Coda for $10 or $20 per month, and that includes the whole firm. You are only charged for the people who “build“ your Docs. Those that edit or view Docs are free. 

Coda also has a free version that lasted me two months before I outgrew it with my monster Doc. You will have plenty of time to see if it is worth upgrading.

When you try Coda using my link both of us get a $10 credit against future charges. I have also become a Coda affiliate to take advantage of additional revenue sharing without having to charge for the architectural resource Docs that I build and post.

Features

Since I have been using Coda for the development of Ochre, here’s some of the things that I really like. 

  • The search capability is top-notch. 

  • The tools for manipulating text are extensive. 

  • Creating tables is easy; and what you can do with tables makes Coda app-like. 

  • Commenting on anything is very easy and notifies the people you indicate. 

  • You can even automate notifications to get an alert when certain changes take place.


Here are some other features that I have tried. They show you what Coda is like. I am really a fan. Over time I will convert all the ’tool-oriented’ post in Architekwiki into Coda Docs for you to copy into your own account.

  • Automatic outlining

  • Pre-built templates for dozens of useful things not to mention entire Docs for things like a sales pipeline or in-house client relationship management.

  • Alternative views of your table contents as a kanban board, cards, calendar, timeline, charts, forms and detail views.

  • Embeded images

  • Links and downloadable files

  • Sharing and collaboration

  • Link Coda to other apps you use like Dropbox, Gmail, Zoom, Slack, and Google Calendar, Drive and Contacts. Pull in their data/files.

  • BuildIng and publishing webpages by just making a page or two. (The Example at the bottom is a 3 page website.)


You can literally build a website for a project in an hour. Then use it to distribute and collect information. The learning curve is not steep but there is a lot that you can do. For example, after a half hour you can write anything. After investing three hours you can publish your first website. After five hours you can build a table to track your marketing pipeline. The other members of your firm will have almost no learning curve - just show them how to find your Docs. ​

Getting A CODA Account

The real power of Coda Docs is in the interactive tables. The best way to take advantage of that feature is to get a free Coda account and copy Docs into your account from the Coda Gallery. Or build your own Docs.

Step by step instructions to get Coda:

  • Click the “Open in Coda” button in the Example Doc below.

  • Then click the blue ’Sign up’ button in the upper right corner.

  • Complete the Coda sign up form that appears.

  • You now have both a Coda account and the Bidding Doc.

Example

Now for an example of what you can do. I gathered all the info I had on Bidding. Then I built three pages. An introduction, a description of bidding, and a checklist page to guide the bidding process. Take a look at the embedded Coda Doc below. If you find something useful, copy it and make it your own. Getting a free Coda account will make that really easy, but you can also print or export the Doc. 

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Pre-Design Cost Estimating

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Profit Planning