Computer-Aided Drafting Program

Comparison

Introduction
This white paper evaluates how Carlson Survey 2015, a comprehensive computeraided drafting (CAD) program, compares to its expensive and ubiquitous counterpart,
Autodesk. The particular testing grounds for these two programs will be importing a raw
data set and using that data to create a workable virtual surface; a first step that is
required for numerous land development procedures.
The layout of Carlson Survey utilizes a single platform, whereas Autodesk boasts an
entire suite of separate, specialized programs specifically designed to excel at a
particular function. For this test I will be using Autodesks 2013 Civil 3D platform which
is their primary engine for land development and civil engineering procedures.
This usability testing targets land surveyors and civil engineering technicians who have
a decent amount of exposure to computer drafting, but who are by no means
professional draftsmen or experts in either program. These users would typically be
using one of these programs to bring in raw field data and manipulate that data into a
triangulated irregular network (TIN) surface which would then be ready for volumetric
calculations or to be handed off to a design engineer for a development project.
I performed a cognitive walkthrough of the tasks required to attain a TIN surface model
with labeled contour lines in each program and recorded the results based on simplicity,
intuitiveness, and time requirements.

Methods
Tasks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Install the application

Import the raw data point file
Edit point label properties
Change object snap settings
Create a polyline surface boundary
Create a triangulated irregular network (TIN) surface
Create and label contours

Test Environment
This test was performed at a USDA Forest Service office at the Southwest Idaho
Boundary & Title Management headquarters in Boise, Idaho. The equipment used was
an HP EliteBook 8470p government laptop PC with 16 GB RAM upgrade. The provided
laptop was installed with Windows 7 operating system, Carlson Survey 2015 (30 day
trial), and Autodesk 2013 Design Suite.

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Evaluation Criteria
Both programs performance in completing each of the listed tasks was evaluated
on a five-point Likert scale. The user was asked to evaluate how strongly they agreed or
disagreed with each evaluation statement, and a point value was assigned to each
program for the evaluation criteria that pertained to the tasks in the test procedure.
The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Results & Discussion

Each tasks procedural steps were recorded for both programs to show technical
differences. They were each assessed based on the evaluation criteria that pertained to
that particular task.

Task 1: Install the Application

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Carlson
The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

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Civil 3D
The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Discussion
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Both programs installation procedures were very simple and easy to follow. There was
little more to do than double-click the executable file and follow the prompts, select the
proper operating system (64 bit), destination folder, enter the serial number, and agree
to the manufacturers terms. AutoCAD took a bit longer to install due to the size of the
program which contains a suite of over a dozen different specialized programs,
including Civil 3D.

Task 2: Import the Raw Data Point File

Carlson
Points menu Select Set CooRDinate File Select topo.crd Select Open

Points menu Select Import Text/ASCII File Select Browse Navigate to point
file (.txt) Select open Select correct point format (P,Y,X,Z,D) Select OK

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Now the points are in the coordinate (.crd) file and must be drawn using specific
drawing style Select Field to Finish -or- Draw/Locate Points under Draw Points
dropdown Select OK

Zoom extents: Type z space e space

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The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Civil 3D
[Default coordinate system already in use] Insert Tab Select Points From File
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 Select plus button Navigate to point file (.txt) Specify correct point file format
(P, N, E, Z, D comma delimited) Select OK

Zoom extents: Type z space e space

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The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Discussion
There was some difference between the two programs in the order of operations here.
Initially they start out the same in selecting the operation to import points from a text file
and define what format the data is stored in so that your points come in with the correct
orientation (Point Name, Northing, Easting, Elevation, Description). After this point there
are some differences that users accustomed to one or the other may get thrown off by.
First off, Carlson requires you to select a coordinate system file prior to being able to
work with or even see your points once you have them imported. This can be somewhat
confusing in comparison to Civil 3D which will apply a default grid coordinate system
that is most commonly used in computer-aided drafting. Secondly, after selecting the
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proper coordinate file, you have to select a drawing style before seeing your points.
Once you have done this, Carlson will draw your points and automatically bring them
into the frame of view. In Civil 3D, once you have imported your points, you must zoom
to the extents of your drawing to see them, but they will not be labeled.

Task 3: Edit Point Label Properties

Carlson
Points menu Select Edit Multiple Pt. Attributes

Select All Select OK

Point # Tab Select Point # Visibility radio button to On Description Tab

Select Description Visibility radio button to On Select OK
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The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

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Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Civil 3D
Toolspace Prospector tab Expand Point Groups Right click on All Points
Click Properties

Information tab Point Label Style dropdown Click Point# and Description
Click OK
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The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

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Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Discussion
This test yielded another higher rating for Carlson over Civil 3D due to the intuitiveness
of the point menu in Carlson. If you simply go to the point menu, and Edit Points in Civil
3D where you think this customization function would be located, you wont find the right
tools to change the label styles. Instead you have to navigate to your point group in the
Prospector tab of the Toolspace, right click, and select Properties. Though this is very
simple and quick, it is not as intuitive as simply having all the point customization
functions all under the same menu

Task 4: Change Object Snap Settings

Carlson
Locate snap and tracking toggles below command line Right click ESNAP

Select Settings Select Node Select OK

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The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Civil 3D

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Locate snap and tracking toggle buttons below command bar Hover over each icon
until you find Object Snap

Right click Object Snap icon Select Settings Select Node Select OK

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

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Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Discussion
Both processes were nearly identical in the two programs, however Carlson gets the
slight advantage of straightforwardness by having toggles spelled out instead of
represented by symbols that a user must familiarize themselves with.
*Note toggles are spelled out in AutoCAD; the icon representations are particular to
Civil 3D

Task 5: Create a Polyline Surface Boundary

Carlson
Draw menu:
Select
2D Polyline

Select
points (by node) for vertices of polyline around surface excluding empty spaces with no
data
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*Note: Carlson has a Shrinkwrap function that Civil 3D does not which makes this
process much faster, but it is not intuitive and must be learned for unfamiliar users so it
will be excluded in this task.
The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

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Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Civil 3D
Under Home tab, navigate to Draw panel and hover over icons until Polyline button is
identified, or simply type PLINE into command line

Select points (by node)

for vertices of polyline
around surface excluding
empty spaces with no
data

The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
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Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Discussion
Another similar situation where Civil 3D opts to use symbols for their tools instead of
having all of their commands compiled in organized menus. While this may not be a
problem whatsoever with very slight familiarization, for the purposes of this test and
when considering the targeted test subjects, Carlson gets a slight advantage here with
simplicity.

Task 6: Create a Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) Surface

Carlson
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Surface Menu Triangulate & Contour Triangulate tab check write triangulation
file, use inclusion/exclusion areas, and ignore zero elevations

The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial

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Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Civil 3D
Surfaces menu Select Create Surface

Create Surface menu Hover over value cell for Style and click square with 3 dots
Select Contours 1 and 5 (Background) from dropdown Select OK

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The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Discussion

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This was finally an area where Civil 3D utilized a simpler procedure than Carlson.
Without prior instruction, a user would most likely not know to write a triangulation file to
later be used to draw the contours, nor the requirement to use inclusion/exclusion areas
and to ignore zero-elevations. Without these parameters set your TIN surface would
yield contours that were skewed in some areas. Here Civil 3D performs all these tasks
automatically based on default settings most commonly used in the industry; all you
have to do is specify your contour intervals.

Task 7: Create and Label Contours

Carlson
[With Triangulate & Contour menu still open] Select Contour tab Enter value of 1
under Contour Interval field Check Draw Index Contours Enter value of 5 under
Index Interval field

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 Select Labels Tab Check Label Contours, Label Index Contours Only, Hide
Drawing Under Labels, and Align Text With Contours Select OK

Dialogue box disappears and command line prompts to Select Inclusion Perimeter
Polylines Select the boundary polyline that was drawn in Task 5 Enter
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Command line prompts to Select Exclusion Perimeter Polylines [Enter for None]
Press Enter

Command line prompts Select Points and Breaklines to Triangulate Drag

Selection Pane across whole drawing Enter

Contours lines are then drawn in white with labeled index lines drawn in red.

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The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

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Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Civil 3D
In prospector tab of Toolspace menu, there now
appears a Surfaces entity Expand contents
Expand Surface 1 contents that we just created
Right click on Point Groups Select Add

Point Groups dialogue box appears

Select All Points Select OK

Contour lines are then drawn with

no exclusion areas within the
dataset.

Under Definition in Prospector tab of Toolspace, right click on Boundaries Click

Add
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Add Boundaries dialogue box appears Click OK

Dialogue box disappears and command line prompts to Select object Select
polyline which was created in task 5

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Contour lines drawn in grey are then bounded by polyline and labeled index lines are
drawn in dark grey.

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The task was intuitive and I was able to complete the steps without help
from a tutorial
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The necessary user interface controls were easily located

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

The task was completed in a reasonable amount of time

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Discussion
Where Civil 3D gained points for simplicity in the previous task over Carlson, it shows
up with a deficiency here due to the extra step you have to take to define the contour
boundary after the lines are drawn. Carlson provided the option to define
inclusion/exclusion areas in the surface creation task whereas Civil 3D requires you to
define this parameter after the fact. This is yet another simple difference in order of
operations that would only take one or two times through to remember the proper
procedure, however for the sake of testing purposes, both programs are being scored
impartially.

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Summary of Results
33
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

30

29

25

Carlson Survey 2015

25

24

Autodesk Civil 3D 2013

Conclusion & Recommendations

Carlson Survey 2015 clearly excels in the simplicity and straightforwardness of its
functionality in this test. For users with intermediate drafting experience, Carlsons
software will be much more intuitive with a less steep learning curve. Autodesks Civil
3D, however, is still the more powerful program for more advanced users. This is why it
has several different large, programmable platforms, including Civil 3D which are all
specifically tailored for different purposes. Other programs, including Carlson Software
which have come after Autodesk have tried to differ themselves in ways to be
marketable to other buyers, i.e. their software package is much cheaper, much more
beginner friendly, and consolidated into a single platform. Though Autodesk remains the
#1 used drafting program in the world, I would recommend Carlson to users with
intermediate experience, and companies that are looking to save money and are willing
to trade customizability for simplicity.

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