GizmoLab’s Design Intuition 1.3, a 3-D CAD software package for woodworkers and hobbyists, can quickly produce accurate, scaled drawings of 3-D models. Design professionals and home owners can use it to design projects such as decks, kitchen cabinets, or rooms.

With a Mac-style graphical interface, a minimal number of tools, and a clear display of all model information, Design Intuition is a practical, easy-to-learn tool. Once you create an object, you can change views, adjust attributes, or create another object. Each object’s dimension is displayed directly on the model; double-click on it to change it.

Besides 2-D and 3-D views, the program has a Materials List view—a shopping list of items you’ll need in order to create your design. The new Smart Objects feature lets you create interactive intelligent objects—for example, a bookshelf that adjusts the size and placement of its shelves depending on its overall dimensions. Another new feature is Repeaters—objects that tile or fill in automatically when resized. I’d like more choices for object shapes, a library of common moldings, and the ability to export drawings as DWG files, which would let VectorWorks and AutoCAD users build libraries that were created in Design Intuition.

Macworld’s Buying Advice

Design Intuition 1.3 is easy and fun, as well as a great value. I recommend it for woodworkers, cabinetmakers, and kitchen designers.