Design & Simulation Software Review Round Up

It must be tough to continuously pack more features into design and simulation software while main-taining a familiar user interface with-out disrupting any older features that software users have come to rely on for their design engineering workflow.

In fact, that’s one complaint we hear from vendors again and again: Users get comfortable with the status quo and don’t realize there are new features avail-able in the latest software that could accelerate—or even automate—many of their tasks.

On the flip side, we see the real time sinks involved in learning where a tried-and-true feature has been moved to in a redesigned software menu or feeling forced to do things a different way  because the software no longer supports your routine.

Be Open to What’s New

There’s a fine line to walk between innovation and disruption, and for awhile there it seemed to threaten progress. But savvy software vendors have figured out how to get new features to people who want them while allowing most users to maintain the status quo until they’re ready.

Pool-based licensing and cloud-based subscription models caused quite a stir when they were introduced. Subscription software is still controversial in many circles, but the genie is out of the bottle.

For organizations struggling to connect design, engineering, manufacturing and operations, the new models provide a path forward. For those who can’t find the value in a subscription for their use case, there are alternatives to fill in the gap.

We’ve compiled some of our most popular design and simulation software reviews in this issue to give you an over-view of new features and how the software works. You can find more at digitalengineering247.com/topic/category/reviews.

I encourage you to give them a closer look. One new feature could justify an upgrade, and multiple features combined may even be worth making a switch to something new. I also encourage you to attend design and simulation software users’ conferences to learn more about your software of choice. They’re a great opportunity to network with other users and get expert training on the latest software.