Glynnis Patterson Settles into New Role as Solution Line Director at Ideate Software

Many in the Revit users know Glynnis Patterson for her hands-on approach leading software development at Ideate Software.  Now, after 20 years with the company, she steps into a new role as Solution Line Director at Ideate Software, a key addition to industry leader GRAITEC GROUP. We caught up with Glynnis to learn more about her take on career, Autodesk, and the future of Ideate Software. 

Glynnis Patterson Headshot

You’ve had an extraordinary career to date. What moments and accomplishments stand out to you?  


At several key points in my career I’ve been fortunate to be supported, and challenged, by bosses who made the effort to mentor me. 


Early in my career, after the requisite stint as a junior architect, I took a job in construction.  My boss, a successful contractor and green beret veteran, decided that 24-year-old Glynnis should manage a construction crew.  This role was clearly a stretch for me, but he gave me the opportunity and responsibility, and I was not going to let him down. 

When I was a young architect, I had a very patient boss, and mentor, who helped me learn the business side of architecture, which ultimately led to me to start my own architecture business. 

 

And of course, Bob [Palioca] supported me in the transition to the software industry. He was starting up Ideate Software and gave me an incredible opportunity to explore and develop.   

 

These were all just good people who were willing to give me the latitude to learn. They took risks on me, and I grew from it. 

 

Ideate Software is now part of Graitec. What are you looking forward to with the transition? 

Like any job, I’m looking forward to working with new people who bring new experiences to the table. Graitec’s technical team has a domain of knowledge in structure and a deep understanding of construction that will benefit our entire team. With their European base, it opens the door for Ideate Software to deepen its business relationships in France and throughout the EU. 

 

What are you most looking forward to in your new role? 

Ideate Software’s development team is small with an incredibly hands-on approach. As such, we were at an inflection point—just big enough to develop and evolve our current suite of products. With Graitec’s geographic reach and depth of resources, we can serve a much larger customer base while maintaining our long-standing, collaborative relationship with our user communities. 

 

What new ideas in the Autodesk® universe excite you? 

Right now, I am really intrigued by the work that is happening in generative design. There are some interesting examples in structural and bridge design, and I’m eager to see how it progresses. 


What changes would you like to bring to the industry? 

While I’ve not experienced gender barriers in my career, a recent mentoring role through Women in BIM opened by eyes to the very real challenges women encounter. I was surprised by their experiences and now see the value in advancing the opportunities available to women in the industry.   

 

What can Ideate Software users look forward to in the future? 

At this moment, we view our role as removing obstacles that hinder the productivity of Revit users. In a few years I see us expanding our support of the AEC community beyond the Revit ecosystem. Our product, Ideate Automation, has started that transition because it delivers value outside of Revit. When we released Ideate Automation, customers quickly asked us to develop other related technology that could be extended to other AEC-related products.  Our customers are so creative, we just need to keep listening to what they’re saying, and to let them guide us to the most relevant solutions in our industry. 

 

You can hear more from Glynnis by browsing our Resource Library. There you’ll discover videos and articles chock full of tips and creative ideas for Ideate Software users. 

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