What is a Technology Preview from Autodesk?

Autodesk has a variety of contact points with customers. My focus has been on technology previews. The question has come up: “What is a technology preview?“

Here are some characteristics of a technology preview:

• The point of conducting a preview is to determine if a technology is a good idea or not. When conducting a beta, the point is to determine if a product is ready to ship.

• As its name suggests, a preview is an “early look” at a technology that is in its infancy. The technology is developed to the point where it can be demonstrated. Not all of the “edge cases” may be handled, but the basic functionality is present. As such, technology previews are often not recommended for production use; however, we are realists and recognize that this is how some customers evaluate the technologies that they are previewing.

• A technology preview is not an alpha nor a beta. When working with an alpha, the customer expectation is that the next step is beta. When working with a…