CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF RIGHTS, PREFERENCES
                                AND PRIVILEGES OF

                     SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

                                OF AUTODESK, INC.

             Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
                            of the State of Delaware



         We, Carol A. Bartz and Marcia K. Sterling, the President and the
Secretary, respectively, of Autodesk, Inc., a corporation organized and existing
under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, in accordance with
the provisions of Section 103 thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:

         That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Certificate of Incorporation of the said Corporation, the said Board of
Directors on December 14, 1995 adopted the following resolution creating a
series of 100,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A Participating
Preferred Stock:

         "RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of the corporation by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of
Directors does hereby provide for the issue of a series of Preferred Stock of
the Corporation, to be designated "Series A Participating Preferred Stock," par
value $0.01 per share, initially consisting of 100,000 shares, and to the extent
that the designations, powers, preferences and relative and other special rights
and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the Series A
Participating Preferred Stock are not stated and expressed in the Certificate of
Incorporation, does hereby fix and herein state and express such designations,
powers, preferences and relative and other special rights and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as follows (all terms used
herein which are defined in the Certificate of Incorporation shall be deemed to
have the meanings provided therein):

         Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
                    ----------------------
designated as "Series A Participating Preferred Stock," par value $0.01 per
share, and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 100,000.

         Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
                    ---------------------------
                (A) Subject to the prior and superior right of the holders of
any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to
receive when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally
available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day
of January, April, July 

 
and October in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a
"Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the
nearest cent) equal to, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and
1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash
dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of
Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock of the Corporation
(the "Common Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the
first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after December
14, 1995 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares
of Series A Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.

                  (B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).

                  (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue on outstanding shares of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record
date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on
such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or
unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after
the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and
before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the
total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares
shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at
the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon,
which record date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the
payment thereof.

         Section 3. Voting Rights.  The holders of shares of Series A 
                    -------------
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

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                  (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common
Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior
to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  (B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders
of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of
Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote
of stockholders of the Corporation.

                  (C) Except as required by law, holders of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote
with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate
action.

         Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
                    --------------------
                  (A) The Corporation shall not declare any dividend on, make
any distribution on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Common Stock after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock unless
concurrently therewith it shall declare a dividend on the Series A Participating
Preferred Stock as required by Section 2 hereof.

                  (B) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided
in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not

                            (i)     declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock;

                            (ii)   declare or pay dividends on, or make any
other distributions on, any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with Series A
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A

                                      -3-

 
Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are
payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of
all such shares are then entitled;

                            (iii)    redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Participating
Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase
or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of
any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred
Stock;

                            (iv)    purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, or any
shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Participating Preferred
Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such
shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the
respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of
the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in
fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

                  (C) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of
this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.

         Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Participating
                    -----------------
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.
All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued
shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of
Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.

         Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
                    --------------------------------------
                  (A) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution
or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders
of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock unless,
prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
shall have received $1,000.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date
of such payment (the "Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment
of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional
distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock
shall have received an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the
quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii)
1,000 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in subparagraph (C) below 

                                      -4-

 
to reflect such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalization
with respect to the Common Stock) (such number in clause (ii), the "Adjustment
Number"). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation
Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding shares of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock and Common Stock, respectively, holders
of Series A Participating Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Common Stock
shall receive their ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to
be distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such
Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.

                  (B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient
assets available to permit payment in full to the Series A Liquidation
Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred
Stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Series A Participating Preferred
Stock, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of
such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In
the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit
payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be
distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.

                  (C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock,
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such
event shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

         Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
                    --------------------------
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly
exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Dividend Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall
be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                                      -5-

 
         Section 8.  No Redemption.  The shares of Series A Participating 
                     -------------
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.

         Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall
                    -------     
rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.

         Section 10. Amendment. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
                     ---------
Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially
alter or change the powers, preference or special rights of the Series A
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or more of the outstanding shares
of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.

         Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Participating Preferred Stock
                     -----------------
may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights,
receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all
other rights of holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.

         RESOLVED FURTHER, that the President or any Vice President and the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of this corporation be, and they hereby
are, authorized and directed to prepare and file (or cause to be prepared and
filed) a Certificate of Designation of Rights, Preferences and Privileges in
accordance with the foregoing resolution and the provisions of Delaware law and
to take such actions as they may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the
intent of the foregoing resolution."

                                      -6-

 
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed to this Certificate
and do hereby affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury this
14th day of December, 1995.



                              /s/ CAROL A. BARTZ
                              --------------------------
                              Carol A. Bartz, President



                              /s/ MARCIA K. STERLING
                              --------------------------
                              Marcia K. Sterling, Secretary

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