Greg Jankowski, a fixture at SolidWorks World —the annual SolidWorks user meeting and conference, now known as 3DEXPERIENCE World —a user advocate par excellence, a self-styled computer hardware expert and author of what is one of the most popular CAD books ever written, has retired. We asked him to give an oral history of CAD during his tenure. You can listen to the whole Master of Technology Happy Hour podcast episode here.
The transition from drawing boards to digital design revolutionized the manufacturing industry, and few people have witnessed this evolution as closely as Greg Jankowski. With a remarkable 15-year career at SolidWorks and extensive experience as a user and reseller prior to that, Greg offers a unique perspective on how 3D CAD technology has transformed mechanical design and created an unprecedented community of passionate users.
Greg’s journey into the SolidWorks ecosystem began with an intriguing advertisement in Design News about a company in Concord developing 3D CAD software for Windows. Having started his mechanical design career using drawing boards and then transitioning to early computer-aided design tools like Computer Vision and Personal Designer, Greg was searching for true 3D solid modeling capabilities beyond simple wireframes. This search led him to SolidWorks, where he became an early partner and later an employee in 2001, working extensively on training materials and product feedback.
One of Greg’s most significant contributions to the CAD community was the development of the SolidWorks hardware benchmark. In an era when CAD was extremely hardware-dependent, understanding how to optimize computer systems was critical for engineers working on complex models and assemblies. Greg explains, “I used to bring in equipment into my office and test things… That was a big thing – how you set up hardware, keeping it maintained. All of that was so important to making bigger models, very complex models, injection molding, assemblies.” This expertise led him to establish the CAD Admin Bootcamp at SolidWorks World conventions, providing essential knowledge to users struggling with hardware limitations.
What truly set SolidWorks apart from other CAD programs was the community it fostered. The annual SolidWorks World conferences became legendary gatherings that felt more like family reunions than technical events. Greg notes, “I never got a sense of that at any other conference. It was like all for one and one for all.” This incredible camaraderie stemmed partly from SolidWorks’ accessibility – running on affordable Windows PCs rather than expensive Unix workstations enabled small design firms and independent consultants to access powerful 3D capabilities previously reserved for large corporations with substantial IT budgets.
Greg’s passion for education extended beyond conference presentations. He authored two influential books: “SolidWorks for AutoCAD Users” and “SolidWorks for Dummies.” The latter was particularly challenging as it required adopting the distinctive “Dummies” writing style but proved immensely popular. Greg also developed computer-based training using the Windows Help System with videos and structured content, recognizing that people learn differently and need various educational approaches.
Throughout his career, Greg maintained a user-focused perspective, something SolidWorks founder Scott Harris encouraged from the beginning. “One thing that always stuck with me – Scott said, ‘You better customer, always keep that viewpoint and that perspective with you.'” This customer-first approach influenced Greg’s work across various roles, including subscription services, support, and the development of the SolidWorks community forums, which began on Usenet before evolving into more sophisticated platforms.
After leaving SolidWorks, Greg transitioned to the Salesforce ecosystem, working with online communities, support systems, and Experience Cloud products. Recently retired, he’s now exploring new interests while maintaining his connection to the technological community that shaped his career. Greg’s journey mirrors the evolution of CAD itself – from complex, specialized tools to accessible, powerful platforms that bring designers together and democratize the ability to create and innovate.