Acelab Revit Plugin
connecting materials directly into architects' Workflow.
Plug-in Design ยท Systems Design ยท Cross-Platform Workflows
Acelabโs Revit Plugin
Seamlessly connect your materials library to BIM/Revit using Acelab's Revit Plugin.
Architects love Acelabโs cloud library of 100k+ building materials, but their actual execution happens inside Autodesk Revit. Living purely on the web created a broken, error-prone ecosystem loop.
At Acelab we designed and launched a native, bi-directional Revit integration that links our cloud data directly into their active project files, turning a disconnected workflow into a single, synchronized setup.
Team & my role
As the lead product designer, I operated at the intersection of product strategy, user research, interaction design, and technical feasibility
Defined the MVP scope and technical constraints in direct collaboration with PMs and Engineering.
Led research and technical handoff through field shadowing, focus groups, and defensive design specs to ensure data integrity.
Architected cross-platform data frameworks and system design to integrate in Revit.
The Acelab-Team
2 Pm's
5 Engineers (BE+FE)
2 QA Engineers
1 External Plug-in Team:
(e-verse)
Timeline & Status
Shipped โ Ongoing
(Iterating continuously to maintain system compatibility across evolving Revit versions)
Executive Summary
The Problem, the quick TL;DR
Architects were managing keynotes & material data in two disconnected systems:
Acelab & Revit.
Copy-pasting data back and forth between Acelabโs web based material library and their drawing files created version conflicts, and and broke trust in the accuracy of project specifications.
Solution: A Bi-directional material plugin
Revit <> Acelab
A native Revit plugin that embeds Acelabโs cloud and material mapping library directly inside the software, enabling seamless bi-directional syncing and automated, risk-free keynote updates.
Feature Highlights: What we built
You're in control
Establish firm-wide keynote/tag control and set standards once in your Firm Library.
Keynotes Automation
Standardized keynotes values sync bidirectionally with Revit keeping all documentation aligned.
Eliminate Manual Work
Eliminate hours of manual back and forth for keynote entry and cross-referencing across every project
Skip to Final Design
Or keep scrolling to know the design process
Context & Background
About Acelab Material Hub
Acelabโs Materials Hub is a construction industry platform that helps architects, contractors, and specifiers manage building materials and project schedules from early stage to specifications. It also connects architects with Manufacturers to get quotes and material specs for their projects.
The platform serves major user groups in the Architecture & Construction Industry (AEC):
Architects & Designers
Every material decision from first search for final specs of an architetcural project.
Owners & Developers
Coordinate project delivery with Material Intellegence and get real-time project insights.
Manufacturers & Suppliers
Engage with architects and owners when timing matters most.
Exisiting State
How material mapping works currently?
To design for this complex cross-platform ecosystem, we audited the existing material mapping workflows to understand how architects capture technical data in Autodesk Revit.
Disjointed Context-Switching
Architects leave Revit to find materials
Jumping between browser tabs and the design environment breaks focus and slows down documentation.
Sync conflicts
Manual updates create version risk
A single mismatched parameter between a web collection and an active drawing can cascade into costly errors on site.
BREAKDOWN OF THE GAPS & PAIN POINTS IN THE WORKFLOW
One-way data flow
The desktop file is the only source of truth
No path from web to model means users who prefer cloud-first workflows are stuck.
Keynote Constraints
File-based updates don't scale
Manual keynote management breaks down during heavy documentation โ model connections drop and data corrupts.
User Research
Discovery & Focus Groups
To validate the workflow issues we identified, I moved past standard surveys and ran a dual-layer qualitative discovery strategy: Contextual Inquiry and Focus Groups.
Why a Plugin?
The real insight was that architects never fully leave Revit during a project.
It's their source of truth. So asking them to context-switch into a separate tool even a well-designed one โ was always going to lose. A plugin removed that ask entirely.
Acelab moves into their space, not the other way around.
Remote
Generate report
Alex Marshall
processed a payroll
Alex Marshall
added
Henry B.
Alex Marshall
revised perks for
Sophia R.
Sophia R.
signed a contract!
Alex Marshall
accessed Remote
Nadia Thompson
removed
Maddie D.
Nadia Thompson
paused
Maddie D.
Nadia Thompson
accessed
Remote
real-time updates
Design Principles I Established for the Plugin
Revit-native, not web-ported
Automate and manage payroll processing with real-time updates.
Talent management
Automate and manage payroll processing with real-time updates.
Contract oversight
Every sync action must communicate clearly what will happen.
Data-driven decisions
Monitor team actions to optimize decisions and workflows.
Exisiting State
How material mapping works currently?
To design for this complex cross-platform ecosystem, we audited the existing material mapping workflows to understand how architects capture technical data in Autodesk Revit.
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