IT manager managing the CAD?

[Anonymous]

Here's a Question for the experts. Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary to
manage a CAD Department? What if someone is an IT Wiz but dosn't know
anything aout AutoCAD? Could they still run it effectivly?

[Anonymous]

Definately "NO"

Russ wrote:
> Here's a Question for the experts. Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary to
> manage a CAD Department? What if someone is an IT Wiz but dosn't know
> anything aout AutoCAD? Could they still run it effectivly?
>
>

[Anonymous]

What does this newsgroup have to do with trucks?
"Murph" wrote in message
news:A201928D56418EC0128BBAAB2EBE1180@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Is the person that manages a fleet of vehicles experienced with driving?
>
> Murph
>
>
> "Russ" wrote in message
> news:6F3644EF739D4D5E27FE7F0F9FDE26F9@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > Here's a Question for the experts. Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary
> to
> > manage a CAD Department? What if someone is an IT Wiz but dosn't know
> > anything aout AutoCAD? Could they still run it effectivly?
> >
> >
>
>

[Anonymous]

I once worked with a CAD manager that didn't even know what the UCS icon
was.
"Russ" wrote in message
news:6F3644EF739D4D5E27FE7F0F9FDE26F9@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Here's a Question for the experts. Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary
to
> manage a CAD Department? What if someone is an IT Wiz but dosn't know
> anything aout AutoCAD? Could they still run it effectivly?
>
>

[Anonymous]

No argument here. IT overlaps any use of computers and software to store and
manipulate data. There are may talented people who excel in both the IT
field and CAD. The CAD manager should know the basics of how and why IT
sets up the network and servers and IT should know what the needs of the CAD
department are. But I don't think many places would consider hiring a CAD
manager who had concentrated on block standardization, CAD standards,
Autocad customization, and CAD procedures to manage their IT department. I
don't think they should consider having a pure IT person manage the CAD
people either. Unless in either case they are willing to wait while the
person learns what he will need to know before they will become effective in
their job.

Allen

"Brian Keever" wrote in message
news:741FCEE25B56FCE9223324DAC6F75031@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> "Computer Aided Drafting" is not an IT process anymore than any other
> graphics oriented work would be. "Computer Aided Design" IS an IT process.
> IT (Information Technology) is the department that handles the technical
> details of organizing and presenting data in a usable and meaningful
format.
> Some companies choose to employ "CAD" as a way to make diagrams and
figures.
> Some companies seek to use their "CAD" systems to store, manipulate,
> coordinate, and display all of the relevant data for a project. The more
> that you expect out of your system, the more integration and cooperation
> will be required between IT and CAD management.
> I am not trying to argue about how to classify CAD, I am trying to show
how
> the concepts of CAD and IT can overlap. The most important factor is to
have
> a clear strategy for what you want to achieve with your "CAD" system and
how
> to implement it. If you want diagrams, design your system to make
diagrams.
> If you want more, design your system to do more.
> Brian Keever

[Anonymous]

Absolutely NO for most of the reasons given. You can't manage what you don't
understand.

I'd add that whoever "manages" a CAD department also has a mandatory need to
know all about the product or service in question ... whatever it is the
department is cadding.

The worst situation I've seen, in the architectural world, was when a young
intern with about a year's experience was in charge of the "standards"
including CAD setup, file naming, drawing organization and numbering, etc.
He knew a fair amount about AutoCAD, but what he created was horribly
inefficient and wrong.

Because he had no background of project experience, no perspective on how
things are done in a number of different offices, no judgement on what's
normal vs. weird, no insight on how CAD and computers were evolving, just
basically no acculmulated "wisdom" on architectural practice.

If you're doing architecture (for instance), the CAD manager needs to be 1)
highly knowledgeable about architecture, 2) highly knowledgeable about the
CAD software, 3) reasonably knowledgeable about networking, hardware, etc.

CAD's only a tool. Being familiar with the tool itself doesn't automatically
give you any knowledge about what you're trying to use the tool for.


Russ wrote in message
news:6F3644EF739D4D5E27FE7F0F9FDE26F9@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Here's a Question for the experts. Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary
to
> manage a CAD Department? What if someone is an IT Wiz but dosn't know
> anything aout AutoCAD? Could they still run it effectivly?
>
>

[Anonymous]

I don't think so. I went from Cad Manager to Cad/IT Manager to IT Manager.
They are very different jobs. Whilst there is some IT in a Cad Managers
role, there is a lot more to it than that. Managing jobs, managing staff,
problem solving and so on.

I personally think that the Cad Manager should have a good knowledge of Cad
and some of IT. I think that the IT Manager in an Arch/Eng firm dshould have
some knowledge of CAD also.

MJ



"Russ" wrote in message
news:6F3644EF739D4D5E27FE7F0F9FDE26F9@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Here's a Question for the experts. Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary
to
> manage a CAD Department? What if someone is an IT Wiz but dosn't know
> anything aout AutoCAD? Could they still run it effectivly?
>
>


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.509 / Virus Database: 306 - Release Date: 12/08/2003

[Anonymous]

This issue is always a hot topic and the opinions are always strong with cut
and dried answers...
Mine isn't.

I have spoken with individuals at length concerning this topic and have come
to the following conclusion:
The CADD Manager MUST have experience in;
Leadership skills,
Management skills,
CADD,
Networking.

Since this person is hard to find (expertise in both CADD and Networking)
the "Best" person for the job may be two people. An "IT" department. Either
one can be the "head" of the deaprtment (dependent upon qualifications), as
long as that person recognizes that the other is there because of thier
specific expertise.
If the firm can't afford two people to do the job you could do the
following:
Hire an "IT" Manager and pay for outside support from your local retailer
(as well as using in house experience),
or
Hire a CADD Manager and pay for outside Networking and Computer support
(sometimes available from the Computer reseller/ leasor).

This means that the direct answer to your question:
" Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary to
manage a CAD Department?-- "
Would probably be yes.


Gary J. Orr
CADD Manager
(218) 279-2421
Gary.Orr@LHBcorp.com

LHB Engineers and Architects
21 West Superior Street, Suite 500
Duluth, Mn 55802
(218) 727-8446
www.LHBcorp.com
"Russ" wrote in message
news:6F3644EF739D4D5E27FE7F0F9FDE26F9@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Here's a Question for the experts. Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary
to
> manage a CAD Department? What if someone is an IT Wiz but dosn't know
> anything aout AutoCAD? Could they still run it effectivly?
>
>

[Anonymous]

I agree - there is definitely no cut and dried answer and there are a lot of
factors that can come into play. I have seen successful situations where the
Cad Manager is also the IT guy. Matt Stachoni and James Wedding come
immediately to mind.

I have also seen other situations where the IT dept. and the CAD Manager(s)
are separate, but work VERY closely together.

I've seen cases where they're separate and don't work closely together (not
usually a good idea ;-)).

Factors that will affect how each combination/scenario will work include,
but certainly aren't limited by:
*The personality of the CAD Manager/IT dude (or dudette)
*Background (are they primarily a CAD geek with a talent for dealing with
hardware, or are they primarily a hardware geek that has been dinking with
CAD, etc.)
*Company size, org chart, staffing resources
*Complexity of the software (is it vanilla AutoCAD or a more complex
vertical application and/or 3rd party add-ons)
*Ability of the users (does the Cad Manager need to be a mother hen, or do
they primarily serve as an enabler/empowerer?)
*Relationship with and competence of the reseller

And the list goes on....


--
Matt Dillon
Assistant Moderator: Autodesk Discussion Forums


"Gary J. Orr" wrote in message
news:F16FC827CE36AE77C97A949DD033122F@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> This issue is always a hot topic and the opinions are always strong with
cut
> and dried answers...
> Mine isn't.
>
> I have spoken with individuals at length concerning this topic and have
come
> to the following conclusion:
> The CADD Manager MUST have experience in;
> Leadership skills,
> Management skills,
> CADD,
> Networking.
>
> Since this person is hard to find (expertise in both CADD and Networking)
> the "Best" person for the job may be two people. An "IT" department.
Either
> one can be the "head" of the deaprtment (dependent upon qualifications),
as
> long as that person recognizes that the other is there because of thier
> specific expertise.
> If the firm can't afford two people to do the job you could do the
> following:
> Hire an "IT" Manager and pay for outside support from your local retailer
> (as well as using in house experience),
> or
> Hire a CADD Manager and pay for outside Networking and Computer support
> (sometimes available from the Computer reseller/ leasor).
>
> This means that the direct answer to your question:
> " Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary to
> manage a CAD Department?-- "
> Would probably be yes.
>
>
> Gary J. Orr
> CADD Manager
> (218) 279-2421
> Gary.Orr@LHBcorp.com
>
> LHB Engineers and Architects
> 21 West Superior Street, Suite 500
> Duluth, Mn 55802
> (218) 727-8446
> www.LHBcorp.com
> "Russ" wrote in message
> news:6F3644EF739D4D5E27FE7F0F9FDE26F9@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > Here's a Question for the experts. Is experince with AutoCAD nessecary
> to
> > manage a CAD Department? What if someone is an IT Wiz but dosn't know
> > anything aout AutoCAD? Could they still run it effectivly?
> >
> >
>
>

[Anonymous]

I agree with your points - I used to be in a situation where I was the
CAD manager (small "m") and someone else was the IT guy. That had to
do with history, experience in the company and established competence
in our respective areas. It also had a lot to do with perceived value
to the company - both of us were designers who had double duty as
support personnel, which was thought was more efficient than having
one person be only 10% billable. It wasn't, but what did I know?

I think the combination of CAD and IT Manager is a tough one, because
it's a very specialized kind of person who does all of this well. Most
CAD managers were true CAD geeks that wanted the rest of the company
to succeed in CAD, but have almost no "management" competence when
they're starting out. They just don't give out MBAs for CAD
Management.

And that's especially tough when you are charged with fixing a CAD
system and telling people how to do things. Which never goes over all
that well, so you need to develop some serious management skillz.

Then, for the IT side, you have to stop thinking about it in terms of
your PC enthusiasm and more in terms of overall value for the company.
For example, I can build PCs that are better and cheaper than what I
would get at Dell or Compaq. However, I would be hard pressed to find
better overall values, because the only thing I have to do is make a
phone call. Otherwise I have to spend two hours competetively
shopping, purchasing the components, waiting for them to be delivered,
dealing with backordered stuff, and building it - hopefully properly
the first time.

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com