We use a sort of "color family" system for the ctb.
Grey (color 8 or something close to color 8 ) is the lightest weight or .003"
Violets/magenta=.006"
Reds/pinks = .009"
yellow/orange/brown/all "earth tones" = .014"
all greens = .018
cyan & all blues = .024"
all purples = .030"
white = .042"
In truth, we use at most 3 standard colors in any given family, but if someone wants to use more they are available according to those rules.
Anything wider is done with a wide polyline and the color is usually according to the medium width color in the respective category (keep reading.)
Layers are assigned a two-part name.
First part is a single letter and is a category desnigator:
B for beams
C for columns
N for notes
H for hardware, etc.
(there are 12 standard categories and the user can make up more as needed)
Second part is the line width designators:
E=extra-extra light. =003"
LE=extra light=.006"
L=light=.009"
M=medium=.014"
H=heavy=.018"
X=extra heavy=.024"
XX=double extra heavy=.030"
XXX=triple extra heavy=.042"
For instance, I would draw a heavy beam on the plan on layer BH, and a really heavy beam or girder on BX or even BXX.
XXX is used almost exclusively for section cut lines, or match lines, or heavy borders, and usually as NXXX ("note triple extra heavy".)
I can type any layer name I want with a few strokes, but the layer name doesn't tell you what the hell you're really looking at like an AIA layer name does. When we look at the drawings we have to know WTH we're looking at, and there are always notations so other people can tell anyway. (You just don't put something on a structural drawing without calling out what it is.)
I don't have to deal with names like "A_wall_remodel_type3_above", and I never have to resort to dialog boxes to set or change layer names; and when I started this system we didn't have no stinkin' dialog boxes anyway.