Overview
Block Diagrams is the place where most projects start in AI Noven. It is a lightweight topology editor — boxes for equipment, lines for connections, and a counter on every branch so you can see fan-out at a glance. There is no CAD heritage here on purpose; you should be able to draft a workable system in the first half of your kick-off meeting.
The diagrams are not pictures. Every block is a real object the rest of the platform sees: when you drop a switch onto the canvas, it shows up in Assets; when you connect two nodes, the link is something BoQ can count.
You can ask the AI to suggest a layout from a brief, then iterate by hand. The point is to get the shape right; once it is, downstream artefacts come almost for free.
When to use it
- Early-stage concept design when you need a topology to discuss in a workshop.
- Bid responses where a clean system diagram has to land in a deck overnight.
- Documenting an existing system before refresh or migration work.
- Anywhere downstream artefacts (BoQ, datasheets, schedule) need a single source-of-truth structure.
How it works
1. Start a diagram
From a project, open the Block Diagrams tab and create a new diagram. Give it a name that maps to a real-world subsystem ("Site network", "DAS head-end") rather than a generic label.
2. Drop blocks
Drag from the palette on the left. Each block has a type (e.g. Switch, Server, Antenna) and inherits the attribute schema for that type, so quantities, ports and rack units flow through to BoQ without re-typing.
3. Connect
Click-drag from one node's anchor to another. A connection carries a label and an optional cable type. Branch counters update live as you fan out.
4. Ask the AI for a starting point
Use Suggest layout with a one-paragraph description ("3-floor office, 200 users, central comms room"). The AI returns a draft you can accept, edit, or throw away.
5. Push to other modules
Once the diagram looks right, the same nodes appear in Assets and feed BoQ totals. There is nothing to "publish" — the data is shared.
Tips
- Name your blocks with location prefixes ("L2-SW-01") if you have more than one floor; it pays off when you export.
- Keep one diagram per logical subsystem rather than one big canvas — easier to review, easier to comment on.
- Use the AI suggestion as a sketchpad, not a final answer; treat the first output as a pin-board you edit.