Looking back at Layer App in 2024

As head of User Experience at Layer, I’ve had the unique perspective of witnessing how these changes have shifted the way our users interact with the app. When we started the year with version 3.16.0, we had a solid foundation, but there was room to simplify workflows, improve accessibility, and refine the overall experience. It's been transformational to see some of the improvements we've made between then and our current version 3.25.0.

Empowering Users with Simplified Workflows

One of the biggest themes this year has been usability. Early in 2024, we introduced Form View a feature that enables users to create shareable, fillable forms. 

This wasn’t just about adding a new feature; it was about empowering teams to collaborate beyond Layer’s walls. Vendors can now input product information directly, tenants can submit work orders, and project managers can collect structured data effortlessly. Seeing this feature in action & used by teams to create thousands of records without repetitive data entry has been a rewarding milestone for the entire team.

Building on this, we overhauled our Document Builder to allow for more flexible reporting and better data visualization. The introduction of Summary Document View gave users the ability to aggregate records and export filter tables with ease. 

This was also a big request from customers that wanted to have more control over Revit schedules. Combining product specs and images along with quantities and locations from Revit gave our clients schedules a whole different dimension.

As part of our Document View efforts we also introduced conditional formatting which allows users to track changes across a document through different iterations. Thus we gave the ability to everyone to format any changes that are happening between submittals, deadlines and revisions.

Better Organization, Better Focus

We also recognized that the sheer scale of data in many projects required smarter ways to organize and filter information. The addition of Field Groups provided an intuitive way to structure categories, allowing users to collapse and expand groups to focus on what matters most. 

Similarly, Focus Mode in the element detail pane enabled users to see only the fields relevant to their current task, reducing distractions and making the interface more navigable.

The introduction of favorite view folders and updated visibility controls for views further streamlined workflows. Teams can now better tailor their workspaces to individual roles, ensuring that users see only what they need while staying connected to the bigger picture.

More Control to your Project Data

We introduced another role for Project teams that gives our customers more control over what each project member can see and also alter in their projects. The new Restricted Role was a big game changer for companies that have multiple layers of disciplines across a project and are looking for this extra level of filtering who can have access exactly to what.

As part of the project management effort we also gave our view management a completely new look. Views now have a dedicated control center and the users have the ability to create views that are only visible to them, or decide who to give access to.

One of our latest releases before the end of the year is Collapsible Field Groups. This was one of the biggest requests especially from teams that are handling big volumes of data within their projects. Fields can now be hosted in groups that essentially create divisions in your project making managing large volumes of Fields be manageable with a click of a button.

Strengthening Integration and Data Reliability

Integration with external systems and data reliability have always been cornerstones of Layer’s functionality. This year, significant improvements to the Revit Add-In have made working with complex models far more seamless. By introducing support for projects with multiple models and optimizing parameter syncing, we’ve reduced processing times and eliminated common bottlenecks.

Public Forms also received attention, with behind-the-scenes upgrades ensuring that data collected from external users remains secure, accessible, and error-free. As a team, we’ve seen a significant reduction in data loss reports—proof that these optimizations are making a real difference.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

While feature releases are exciting, what truly matters is their impact. Over the course of the year:

• User adoption of Form View has skyrocketed, with over 10,000+ forms submitted in just six months.

• Conditional formatting in Document Views has saved users an estimated 20% of the time spent reviewing data.

• The new favorite view folders and visibility controls have streamlined navigation for over 80% of active users, based on usage analytics.

Looking Ahead

As we head into 2025, I’m proud of how far we’ve come, not just in building features but in building experiences. Each change has been driven by feedback from our users and an understanding of how Layer fits into their workflows. The updates we’ve made this year aren’t just about software; they’re about making our users more efficient, collaborative, and successful.

Here’s to another year of growth, innovation, and making Layer an even better partner for project management!