If you’re a Chief Architect user, you already know how powerful the software is for design and construction. But with that power comes complexity. Many designers spend countless hours navigating menus, redrawing repetitive elements, or troubleshooting performance issues. That’s where productivity hacks come in—small tweaks and shortcuts that make a big difference in your day-to-day work.
In Designers Show #157, Dan Baumann, John Schrader, Robin Rigby-Fisher and Rene Rabbitt shared a follow-up to their popular productivity episode. This time, they went even deeper, covering practical workflow tips, new X17 features, and real-world solutions to common challenges. If you’ve ever wished you could save hours each week, this recap will show you how.
Why Productivity Matters in Chief Architect
Time is money in the design-build world. The faster you can create accurate plans, the sooner you can focus on presenting to clients, coordinating with builders, and keeping projects on track. Productivity isn’t just about speed—it’s about reducing frustration, improving accuracy, and producing better results without burning yourself out.
Every inefficiency adds up:
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Extra clicks to access tools.
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Repetitive redrawing of elements.
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Waiting on slow renderings.
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Searching for the right materials or settings.
The tips in this episode tackle these pain points head-on.
Key Highlights from Designers Show #157
1. Smarter Use of Trusses and Decorative Elements
Rene shared how to make truss layouts both structurally accurate and visually appealing. Instead of redrawing decorative webbing or custom truss details, Chief Architect allows you to build them quickly and reuse them in future plans. The result? Faster framing layouts that are easy to read and impressive for client presentations.
2. Making the Most of the Project Browser
The new project browser is a step toward better file management. While still evolving, it helps keep projects more organized by connecting details and layouts in one place. Designers noted challenges with collaboration and permissions, but the expectation is clear: future updates will push Chief toward more cloud-based teamwork. That means fewer headaches when sharing files and more seamless collaboration with your team.
3. Custom Toolbars and Templates for Speed
One of the most impactful tips was the use of custom toolbars and Rene’s Pro Plan templates. While it may look overwhelming at first, this setup pays off in major productivity gains. Toolbars tailored to your workflow eliminate wasted time searching for commands, and templates preloaded with smart defaults mean you can start drawing right away instead of setting everything up from scratch.
4. Rendering and Hardware Efficiency
Performance matters when producing 3D walkthroughs or client-ready renderings. The Chief Experts stressed the importance of updating graphics card drivers directly from NVIDIA or AMD—not relying on Windows updates. Many slowdowns can be solved with this simple step. Optimizing hardware settings ensures smoother renderings and fewer crashes, saving hours of frustration.
5. Panels, Railings, and Stairs Made Easy
Chief’s flexibility really shines when you realize that anything can become a panel. From fish shapes to geometric designs, you can turn almost any object into a railing or stair panel. This opens up endless possibilities for customization—especially for clients who want a “wow factor” in their presentation drawings.
6. Expanded Style Palette and Materials in X17
The X17 update expanded the style palette, giving designers more control over 3D profiles, siding, and materials. You can now include exact cross-sections, add custom siding profiles, and integrate terrain features directly from survey data. This makes your drawings not only more realistic but also more build-ready for contractors.
Putting the Hacks into Practice
It’s one thing to know these productivity hacks—it’s another to build them into your everyday workflow. Here are a few steps to help you start:
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Audit your current workflow. Where do you waste the most time? Is it rendering, drawing framing, or finding tools?
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Adopt custom toolbars. Tailor them to the commands you use most.
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Invest time in templates. A smartly built template can save hours across multiple projects.
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Keep hardware updated. Don’t overlook graphics drivers—they make or break performance.
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Experiment with new features. Try the style palette, custom siding, and panels on your next project.
The Bottom Line
Chief Architect is constantly evolving, and staying up to date is essential if you want to stay competitive. Productivity hacks like these aren’t just about saving time—they’re about reducing stress, improving accuracy, and delivering higher-quality work to your clients.
As Dan and the Chief Experts reminded us, the more you invest in mastering the tools, the more confidence you’ll have when tackling complex projects. And with every hour you save, you gain more time to focus on what matters most: your design vision and your clients.
👉 Ready to see all the hacks in action? Watch the replay of Designers Show #157: More Productivity Hacks Every Chief User Should Know and make sure to join us live for the next episode. Each session brings practical tips, real-world examples, and the chance to learn directly from experts who use Chief Architect every day.
