174: Campfire Series - ‘The Bluebeam Story’, with Don Jacob
A conversation with Don Jacob.
In this special Campfire Series episode, Don Jacob joins the podcast to tell us the Bluebeam story.
We discuss Don’s fascinating journey from working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to co-founding Bluebeam and transforming the AEC industry along the way. Don talks about the origins of Bluebeam, its impact on AEC, and hear his thoughts on the future of technology in these fields, including the role of AI and mobile. Our conversation reveals how Bluebeam has evolved over 23 years to become an industry-leading tool that has wildly succeeded at elevating project collaboration and document management in AEC.
Episode links:
Books and Philosophies
- The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
- Wikipedia Overview
- Explores human-centered design principles, aligning with Don Jacob's focus on creating intuitive software tools for the AEC industry.
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
- Amazon Link
- Discusses the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) concept and iterative development, relevant to how Bluebeam's early software evolved from a PDF print driver to a powerful collaboration tool.
- The Pixar Touch by David A. Price
- Amazon Link
- Explores the creative and technical innovation journey of Pixar, relevant to Bluebeam's focus on user experience and iterative product development.
AI Tools and Emerging Technologies
- Bluebeam Official Website
- Bluebeam Official Site
- Learn more about Bluebeam Revu and Studio for AEC collaboration, including the latest AI-powered features like Auto Align and Intelligent Drawings.
- ISO Standards for PDF Technology
- ISO Official Site
- Explore the international standards that ensure consistency and reliability in PDF software development, which Bluebeam contributes to.
- Canvas Site Safety and Field Data Tools
- GoCanvas Official Site
- Learn how GoCanvas supports field data capture and integrates with platforms like Bluebeam for project collaboration and documentation.
Visualization & Design Tools
- Autodesk AutoCAD and Revit
- AutoCAD Official Website
- Revit Official Website
- Bluebeam originated as a plugin for AutoCAD, emphasizing the importance of CAD integration in AEC workflows.
- SOLIDWORKS for Mechanical Design
- SOLIDWORKS Official Website
- Bluebeam's early integration with SOLIDWORKS highlights the importance of sharing CAD data across disciplines.
Psychology and Personal Development
- Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink
- Amazon Link
- Explores intrinsic motivation and mastery, concepts mirrored in Bluebeam's focus on user-driven design and continuous improvement.
- Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull
- Amazon Link
- Lessons in fostering creativity and collaboration, reflecting Bluebeam's approach to iterative software development and customer feedback integration.
About Don Jacob:
Currently serving as the Chief Innovation Officer of Bluebeam, Don Jacob has had a 3 decade+ career "rolling up sleeves" and building teams that deliver services and software that have a global impact. As part of the original startup team, he's spent the past 20 years building Bluebeam into a leading global brand in the AEC industry. With previous executive-level stints at PetSmart.com and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, his broad range of experience makes him quite adaptable to the ever-changing needs of the industry.
