Professional Background

Jeff Thomas III

Technology Consultant · Design Technology and BIM Strategy

I help architecture, engineering, and construction teams improve the way they work by connecting technology decisions to practical standards, reliable workflows, thoughtful implementation, and the people responsible for carrying change forward.

Professional Summary

Architecture experience shaped by technology leadership

My career spans architectural design and production, CAD and BIM management, design technology leadership, consulting, training, and AI enablement. That range gives me a practical view of technology: tools matter, but lasting improvement depends on standards, governance, communication, implementation planning, and the confidence of the people expected to use them.

As a Technology Consultant at ARKANCE, I work with AECO clients to evaluate workflows, develop BIM and CAD standards, improve Revit and cloud-collaboration practices, plan technology implementations, and build training and support strategies. I also help organizations think responsibly about AI-assisted workflows and the leadership required to introduce change without losing sight of people, purpose, or quality.

Current Role

Technology Consultant, ARKANCE

February 2022–Present

Consulting and implementation

  • Lead discovery sessions, workflow assessments, implementation planning, and advisory engagements for architecture, engineering, and construction clients.
  • Develop and improve BIM and CAD standards, Revit templates, model-management practices, and design technology workflows.
  • Support Autodesk design and collaboration platforms, including Revit, AutoCAD, Autodesk Forma, Autodesk Construction Cloud, and Forma Design Collaboration.

Enablement and leadership

  • Create packaged consulting services, training programs, standards guidance, and practical adoption resources.
  • Coach BIM managers, design technology leaders, and project teams through organizational and workflow change.
  • Support AI enablement and responsible exploration of AI-assisted workflows for AECO practice.

Career Experience

From architectural production to design technology strategy

  1. 2019–2022

    Design / Workflow Technology Lead

    AO

  2. 2014–2019

    CAD Manager / Digital Practice Coordinator

    KTGY

  3. 2010–2014

    CADD Support Coordinator

    LPA, Inc.

  4. 2009–2010

    Adjunct Instructor

    ITT Technical Institute

  5. 1999–2008

    Architectural design, production, coordination, and CAD leadership

    Roles with Jacobs Carter & Burgess, Nadel Retail Architects, RHL Design Group, Modtech Holdings, DGE, and ACS.

Leadership and Affiliations

Serving the professional community

  • AUGI Advisory Board Member
  • AIA San Francisco Technology in Architectural Practice Committee
  • Mentor and coach for BIM managers and design technology leaders
  • Contributor to professional conversations around BIM, AI, connected practice, leadership, and workforce development

Speaking and Writing

Teaching through practice and reflection

  • Two-time Autodesk University speaker
  • Speaker for AUGICON, AIA Kansas City, AIA San Francisco, and AIA26
  • Presenter on design technology, AI, leadership, staffing, and connected practice
  • Author of Just A Thought, a reflective Christian blog on faith, marriage, leadership, culture, technology, and everyday life

Education and Credentials

Formal study and certification history

Education

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design

ITT Technical Institute, 1997

Former / Expired

Autodesk certification history

  • Autodesk Certified Professional — Revit
  • Autodesk Certified Professional — AutoCAD
  • Autodesk Certified Instructor

These credentials are part of my professional history and are not represented as current certifications.

Technical Expertise

Tools are strongest when they support a clear way of working

Strategy and standards

Design technology strategy, BIM and CAD governance, workflow assessment, standards development, Revit templates, implementation planning, and training.

Autodesk platforms

Revit, AutoCAD, Autodesk Forma, Forma Design Collaboration, Autodesk Construction Cloud, BIM Collaborate Pro, Navisworks, Dynamo, and the Autodesk AEC Collection.

Connected practice

Bluebeam, Newforma, AVAIL, model coordination, information management, cloud collaboration, client enablement, and cross-team adoption.

AI enablement

Responsible AI adoption, AI-assisted workflow exploration, practical use-case development, internal education, and leadership guidance for changing tools and expectations.

A Broader View

Technology is part of the work, not the whole of it

My professional work and personal writing meet around the same conviction: tools, systems, leadership, and decisions should serve people with clarity, responsibility, and purpose. The technical questions matter, but so do the human questions underneath them.