Right on Alfredo!
After being the lone State CADD Coordinator for over three years, I
now have a committee. I see great things being done that I neither
had the time for, or full knowledge of. The members of the committee
are CADD and Total Station users who have a stake in what the committee
develops. It has made a big difference in what gets deveoploed to
support the users. There is just no way I could have done the things
we are (and will be) doing, on my own. A committee is the way to
go.
As you can see, one person could not possibly do all this, (and get
paid enough).
The following was clipped from the summary of our first Committee
meeting.
Goal (in order of priority)
note: goals 5 and 6 tied in the ranking
1. Develop conventions for:
a) surveys conducted with Total Station Survey Instruments and Electronic
Data Collectors
b) designing and drafting with CADD software
2. Collect and develop electronic versions of standard drawings and
details of conservation practices for use by CADD and non-CADD users.
Decide on a method of distributing CADD drawings as they are developed.
3. Update the NYS CADD Handbook to reflect the current version of software,
and include additional routines. Decide on a method of distributing
the handbook and future updates.
4. Evaluate training needs in New York. Identify resources for
providing training. Develop training modules for in-house sessions.
5. Evaluate and make recommendations for state-wide equipment needs
(includes Software).
6. Achieve common user level amongst Committee members.
7. Develop a CADD workstation and Total Station Surveying Instrument
maintenance policy/guide/schedule.
8. Improve communication with CADD users in other Northeast states.
Plan of Action
This first meeting allowed the committee to plan how it would address
Goals 1-3. The committee understands that additional issues
or concerns may arise as we proceed, possibly creating a need to adjust
our goals. Some of the work that is done to achieve one goal may
also lend itself to proceeding to another, lower priority goal.
Goal 1a – Develop conventions for surveys conducted with Total Station
Survey Instruments and
Electronic Data Collectors
Goal 1b – Designing and Drafting with CADD software
The committee agreed to begin developing state-wide conventions for
Total Station Surveying at the next meeting. The conventions decided
upon will naturally lead into the conventions to be developed in the areas
of Drafting and Design. To assist in the committee in the development
of these conventions, one or more CADD workstations, Total Station instruments,
Data Collectors, and a plotter will be available at future meetings.
Goal 2 - Develop, collect, and distribute electronic versions
of standard drawings and details
of conservation practices for use by CADD and non-CADD users.
Gary has started collecting, updating and developing standard drawings
for WRP practices, details for concrete pads, timber and concrete curbs,
and roof gutters. Committee members will bring additional drawings
to future meetings to be considered for use as standards. Once the
drafting and design conventions have been developed, it will not be difficult
to bring existing drawings into compliance. All drawings will
need review and approval by the State Conservation Engineer, and a “Conditions
Of Use” statement attached to each. Three such statements are
currently under consideration by the State Office Engineering staff.
One or more methods will be employed to distribute the CADD drawings
as they are approved for issue.
Due to the size of CADD drawing files, using e-mail to distribute them
will be restrictive. Space is available on the NRCS server to store
the drawings, which will allow users of FTP software to access the files.
Gary has a CD writer connected to his workstation that could be used in
some capacity. The committee will need to assess the various methods
available.
Goal 3 - Update the NYS CADD Handbook to reflect the current version
of software and include
additional common routines.
Gary will start working to update parts of the CADD handbook not related
to design routines in the LDD2 software. All committee members will
be involved in updating and developing various common routines to include
in the handbook, once goals #1 and #2 are accomplished. The strategy
is that members who develop routines will eventually provide that particular
training.
Gary’s suggested using the NRCS web page to distribute the handbook
and drawings to users. This will require training and time to convert
the existing handbook MS-Word and Excel files into HTML format so they
can be posted in a web page. Assistance from IRM will be needed.
Other distribution methods may also be explored if necessary.
Gary
Alfredo Medina wrote:
Troy,
That sounds wonderful. It seems like something very difficult to achieve
in
most offices, where nobody seems to have a minute to spend in these
things,
but they do complain if something is not right. It sounds wonderful
for me
because it creates a feeling that the responsibility of keeping the
Cad
work in good shape is shared by many people, having the Cad Manager
as the
coordinator, not the only one responsible. According to many threads
that I
have read here, the most common situation seems to be the one I have
described, and the one you have described seems to be the exception.
Alfredo Medina
alfmedina@hotmail.com
Moderator
Troy Gates wrote:
>
> In my company, we have created three CAD committees; Standards, R&D,
and
> Training. Each of these committees meet once a month to discuss ways
to make
> employees' jobs easier. (...)
--
Gary (Byrd) Vandawalker
Civil Engineering Technician / NY State CADD Coordinator
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
441 South Salina Street, Suite 354
Syracuse, New York 13202
Phone: 315-477-6546
Fax: 315-477-6550
e-mail: gary.vandawalker@ny.usda.gov
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