Advice for a New CAD Manager

[murray-clack]

Back story: I've been using AutoCAD since R10, and been using Civil 3D in the past year.  I have worked for the same company for 10+ years now, and I have been officially promoted to a CAD Manager position entitles "CAD Systems Coordinator".

I have been the "go to" guy since the first day I started whenever someone ha a problem.  However, the lack of interest in the users devloping their skills as well as getting a cad standard in place has been like pulling teeth.  I have the "full support" of Management when it comes time to implement the cad standard I've written (as wel as DWT files), but the big question is: "How do I get the end users to adopt/adapt without getting a lot of static from them?"

These are the kind of people who explode blocks and dimensions as well as put scaled-down versions of their details in paperspace.  Never mind multilined attributed dynamic blocks, these people do not know a block from a hole in the ground.  Any advice on getting these people transitioned (short of firing them)?  Part of the long-term goal is to get these people trained up to "my level" because management is tired of getting embrassed by shotty cad files.

[Anonymous]

I would read this book as a starter for 10...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Expert-CAD-Management-Complete-Guide/dp/0470116536/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=13...

[murray-clack]

Thanks!  That book did catch my eye.  It was published in 2007, so I am wondering if a newer version will see print soon?

[dgorsman]

Its very difficult when they are just doing enough to justify keeping their job and have no interest beyond that.  I've had users (and some supervisors) go out of their way to do things the "wrong" way then ask me to find some way of fixing it to the "right" way later.  *rollingeyes*  Getting them up to a CAD admin/manager level isn't going to happen for the most part.  You will almost always end up with a couple of power users, a handful of efficient ones, and a the rest just punching the clock.

Having them fix their own problems can help, but there's a good chance they will feel persecuted, get PO'd, and find work elsewhere.  Keep the settings simple with a minimum of user input, and make them so its *more* difficult to do things the "wrong" way than the "right" way.

Something else to try is a QA person.  We've got a few mid-level supervisors who are absolute terrors in the cube farm; you KNOW when somebody hasn't followed proper procedure.

[murray-clack]

"Having them fix their own problems can help,"

That is one idea we have floated around.  One aspect of my new position will be to "police" their habits.  If I find they are doing things wrong, I wil have the ability to say "do it again".  Once we have a template in place, there shouldn't be any reason they can't do things properly.  Also, in our CAD Standard, I will have essentially a "Ten Commandments" list which should also help guide them ("Though shall not explode thy dimensions", etc)

"but there's a good chance they will feel persecuted, get PO'd, and find work elsewhere". 

One can only dream.  I have been wishing for ten years that people will just leave, but I know that even THEY recognize they wouldn't get away with stunts they are pulling now at another company.

"Keep the settings simple with a minimum of user input, and make them so its *more* difficult to do things the "wrong" way than the "right" way."

Again, I am hoping that is where a template file comes in.  I have also created a library of standard details (drawn full-size with assoc. dims, etc.) so that all they have to do is simply drag-n-drop them into the current drawing session via Design Center instead of wasting time searching old jobs and copying-n-pasting someone else's mistakes.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been doing this for some time with users who vary from very good power user all the way down to draws on 1 layer & will explode everything.

I think there is only one way to deal with the issue & it requires total buy in from the top…

First off create a CAD test & get email approval from the highest level to make everyone take it.

Get everyone to sit the test using the approval as leverage to make them take it if required. This is in order to benchmark their training need. It’s important they understand why you’re testing them, it’s not pass or fail, it’s only to find the training needs.

You will probably find that you get common themes, layering, block use, dimensioning…

You now need to find/create training material to cover those topics so you can instruct them on the company way of doing the job.

Now the harder part, I assume your company has a review process for employees to asses them, a quarterly review, balance score card or similar. You need to get mile stones for their specific CAD development tied into that process.

This in theory would make bonuses, pay rises, etc partly reliant on their progress.

Then start to score drawings using a CAD standards checker, AutoCAD comes with one OTB

http://www.cadalyst.com/management/standards-enforcement-tools-13098

If they have been given layering as an area of weakness from your test, this would be added to their training plan & they would be given layering classes over a set period of time. Their layering of drawings should improve in the checker. If not they have not improved in line with the learning plan & the management have to act accordingly.

You can also use the checker stats to make weekly leader tables. The power user types will try to be the top of the table & will fight to beat each other. The weakest will try not to hit the bottom as that’s only going to draw attention from the management. Those in the middle may be unchanged for a while, but if the weakest get better & they start to slip down the table they will become engaged as well.

[Anonymous]

Leadership is the simple answer for this problem then respect will follow. Provide them development plans and the resources they need. Goodluck!