“It’s not what we don’t know that gets us into trouble. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.” 

– attributed to Mark Twain and others

I first heard colleagues 22 years ago (in 2002) state what SOUNDS like a good idea: abandon technical drawings because of models:

why are we not pushing towards model based construction rather than driving parallel effort in producing high quality models as well as superfluous 2d documentation.

I was a long time modeler by then already myself so I thought about it. But all this time I’ve yet to hear anyone back that statement up with evidence or argumentation that withstands evaluation.

So-called ‘CAD Drafting’, and the pre-digital form of it, technical drawing by hand, is well described as the expression and articulation of the act of (VCS) visual close study, of, or attentive focus within, mental models.

There’s a nice future ahead, for evolution in VCS equipment’s form of expression within digital models: https://tangerinefocus.com

When VCS evolution within models happens, the outcome will be far better than abandonment of visual close study (VCS) within models mental and digital and we’ll wonder why we ever thought that would be a good idea.

And we’ve suffered decades of stunted software development because of the category error encapsulated in that idea.

Modeling predates software. The mental model predates computing and persists today. No digital model has ever meant anything to anyone without mental model formation set in motion.

Also predating software, Visual Close Study (VCS, aka: ‘drawing’ aka ‘2D’) has always operated in tandem with modeling.

The essential pair, of VCS, and modeling, are two poles in a continuous looping that IS the engine of thought. Disparage either pole and the engine is underpowered. Abandon either one and the engine quits.

Leaving VCS externalized from the digital model and stuck in its centuries old form of expression, not evolving in tandem with modeling’s evolution in form from mental to digital, is counterproductive and self-defeating.

It could be worse though (abandoning VCS) as many advocate.

But it could also be better.

A lot better. Evolving VCS: https://tangerinefocus.com