Collaboration and Project Setup
Why setup decisions propagate
Every later task in a Revit mechanical model inherits the choices made before the first duct is drawn. Candidates must understand worksharing (central model, local copies, Synchronize with Central, relinquishing borrowed elements versus owned worksets), the difference between worksets and linked models, and how copy/monitor and Coordination Review keep architectural levels and grids aligned. Know how shared coordinates work: Acquire Coordinates, Publish Coordinates, and Specify Coordinates at Point, plus why a linked model's internal origin is not the same as the project base point.
Traps to expect
Questions love the distinction between borrowed elements (released on sync) and checked-out worksets (persist until explicitly relinquished). Another classic: a user cannot create a local copy from a local copy - only from the central. Watch for confusion between view templates (view properties) and view filters (graphic overrides by parameter), and between shared parameters (added to families and schedules) and project parameters (project-only). Template strategy matters too: a project template with preloaded mechanical settings, pipe/duct types, and view templates saves rework.
Worked example
A new team member opens the central model directly and starts modeling. Rule of thumb: if the file name lacks a username suffix and the worksets dialog shows no "(local)" indicator, stop - create a local copy via Open > Detach is not the fix; use Open and Create New Local. Detaching breaks the link to central and severs future synchronization.
Discipline coordination
Set up a weekly linking and Coordination Review routine; resolve warnings rather than ignoring them, because unchecked duplicates and identical-instance warnings compound across disciplines.