Where to start CAD Standards: large company, users left to go on their own.

[mdhutchinson]

I am in newly created position as CAD Manager here.
We have many users, several departments, ... each with their own ways...
even down to colors for objects...

I wonder what, were would be a good place to start?

Your thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I'd say first thing to look at is interoperability between departments. Probably one of the most important facets of different departments is just network and file management. After that then you start looking into layering, color scemes, plot standards, ect

Don't go over thinking the CAD stuff when it comes to standards either. Every once in a while don't forget to take a step back and look at the basic non-CAD stuff.

Remember how we got to the Moon. KISS Keep It Simple Stupid
That works.

[Anonymous]

I would think you'd want to start by finding out where there are problems
with the system you have now and discuss how you might go about solving
them, setting priorities as to which you should tackle first.

You definitely need to make it a team effort or you will find yourself being
the scapegoat of the entire staff.

A few areas to consider are:

Do you need software/hardware/customization?
Do you need training?
Do you need to establish policies and proceedures?
Layer and File Standards
Project management proceedures
Interdepartment communication/cooperation

There is a lot to tackle if you are starting from scratch. You have to start
from the top,.namely getting management to commit to supporting company
standards and policies and allocating the resources necessary to fulfill
them.



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[omc-usnr]

I'm with Neil on the team idea.

I've been the one man drafting department for 3 offices over the last 22 years, so what I want, I get to do. But if you're starting out in a larger firm with lots (how many is lots?) of individuals doing it their way, it will make it much easier for you if you can get them to see that they're not being picked on, and the new standards were achieved by consensus (well, if I have to give up ???, at least they have to give up???).

Also, once in place, enforcement should be fair & even across all departments. In the beginning, warnings to HR personnel files, listing as not a team player, fines (leave w/out pay), and termination should be spelled out as part of the adoption policy.

While I have had the luxury of being the one to set standards, 25 yrs in the Navy Reserves has taught me the advantages of team work in large organizations - and the havoc lone wolves can cause if not leashed. If I go into a new firm, it'll be up to me to adapt to their standards, not force them to mine.

Reid

[Anonymous]

mdhutchinson wrote:
> I am in newly created position as CAD Manager here.
> We have many users, several departments, ... each with their own
> ways... even down to colors for objects...
>
> I wonder what, were would be a good place to start?

I would say the starting point is making sure you have the backing in
place to enforce the standards. I have seen similar situations where
standards are put into place, but without enforcement, and they are
just ignored. Make sure there are consequences for not adhering to the
standards.

--
R.K. McSwain
http://cadpanacea.com

[Anonymous]

ditto to the good advice already given.

plus you should also update your resume.

wrote in message news:6327373@discussion.autodesk.com...
I am in newly created position as CAD Manager here.
We have many users, several departments, ... each with their own ways...
even down to colors for objects...

I wonder what, were would be a good place to start?

Your thoughts?

[rgorman]

Perhaps you can have a rotation of users work in OTHER departments just to see what they're doing. When he can't figure out their stuff, hopefully, it will help to instill the need for company wide standards.

[Anonymous]

I don't mean for this to come off as spam but...

You are in a unique position. You have several departments and as you say each
with their own needs, duties, and disciplines. Within each department several
users and again, each with their own "standards", methods, and techniques.

Certainly performance varies from one person to the next and from one department
to the other.

My opinion is the first thing you would want to do is to gauge the performance
of the individuals and the departments as a whole over an extended period of
time.

Create a benchmark to measure current production. This will allow you to examine
who is doing the job most efficiently and can serve as a baseline for
establishing your standard. I'm sure in each department there are some
people that get certain jobs done in half the time of others. Or perhaps the
ones
that are only slightly slower than others have 1/4 the rework of the others. Can
you identify them?

This benchmark will also serve to measure any improvements that may be realized
from the (ongoing) changes you make to any standards you implement.

Experiment, as you establish and implement the standards don't be timid about
backing off those that don't seem to do much good or contribute to the "bottom
line".

I do this with every project I work on. Typically I measure my performance by
examining the amount of time I take to create a design model, or the time for
each detail I create from the model.

Over the years I've changed my object creation methods, layer naming standards,
file naming standards, etc.

Check out my CadTempo software (link in sig) that I created to help me to do
those things I mentioned.

--

Patrick Hughes

Engineered Design Solutions
CadTempo: Time Logging for CAD
visit http://www.Cadtempo.com
_____________________________

wrote in message news:6327373@discussion.autodesk.com...
I am in newly created position as CAD Manager here.
We have many users, several departments, ... each with their own ways...
even down to colors for objects...

I wonder what, were would be a good place to start?

Your thoughts?

[Anonymous]

On Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:54:15 -0800, mdhutchinson <> wrote:

>I am in newly created position as CAD Manager here.
>We have many users, several departments, ... each with their own ways...
>even down to colors for objects...
>
>I wonder what, were would be a good place to start?

The nearest bar.

Matt
matt@stachoni.com

[Anonymous]

Several years ago, I was hired by a national architecture firm to be over
the design software for the company. I was tasked with getting everyone on
the same standards. The company had several offices and some of them had
somewhat similar standards and some had vastly different standards. I can
feel your pain.

You will want buy-in by both management and the users, and you will need to
do something to address the stress that will be involved. 🙂

Simply forcing users to abide by new standards won't work, although they
need to know that the standards are important to management. (Management
support is important.) Try to show the users how the standards will help
them do their job easier in the long run. Meet with all of the departments
and key users in each department to learn how they are presently doing
things and understand why they are doing things that way. A really
important aspect is to make sure that everyone gets what they need, although
it may just not the way they want . However, the more that you can
incorporate some of their standards into the final standard, the more buy-in
you will get from them. Also, make it easy for them use the new standards,
so that will mean setup and possible automation. As much as you can, take
away reasons for them not to use the new standards.

There will likely be some things that you will not want to back down from.
For me, one of those things was using the AIA layering standards. Also, in
enforcing those standards, I created routines that would update old drawings
and details to the new standards with the pick of a single button. That
made the transition to the new layer standards easier.

Build some flexibility into the standards as they will need to evolve and be
a bit flexible for each department's needs. Create a framework that is
firm, but that has guidelines that allow the flexibility where needed.

Good luck.

Doug
www.dougbowersconsulting.com
blog: http://aectechtalk.wordpress.com


"mdhutchinson" wrote in message news:6327373@discussion.autodesk.com...
I am in newly created position as CAD Manager here.
We have many users, several departments, ... each with their own ways...
even down to colors for objects...

I wonder what, were would be a good place to start?

Your thoughts?

[Anonymous]

That's an example of a true wisdom! LOL
Best Regards,
Igor.

--
Web: www.meqc.com.au
www.boatworks.meqc.com.au
"Matt Stachoni" <...> wrote in message
news:6328391@discussion.autodesk.com...
On Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:54:15 -0800, mdhutchinson <> wrote:

>I am in newly created position as CAD Manager here.
>We have many users, several departments, ... each with their own ways...
>even down to colors for objects...
>
>I wonder what, were would be a good place to start?

The nearest bar.

Matt
matt@stachoni.com

[art_turner]

the network, if everybody is on the same network, you create a drive or directory where everyone can load the same partial menu. you put in there the essential best tools you can find. you put a drawing setup in there, the less apt will use it because you have made their life so much easier. the most stubborn you win over by incorporating their methods. you modularize your standards with lisp, or templates and put the master file on the network.

[Matasovsky]

And keep a bottle and glass in your file cabinet drawer. If anyone asks, tell them the standards manual is in there. They'll never open it. 😄

[Anonymous]

On 2/12/2010 8:57 AM, Matasovsky wrote:
> And keep a bottle and glass in your file cabinet drawer. If anyone asks, tell them the standards manual is in there. They'll never open it. 😄

See this is why I come in here, to be reminded of how much I still have
to learn. 😉

[mdhutchinson]

From the original author of this thread...  This has been an excellent discussion...

I wonder if we could take a slightly different aspect to CAD standards.

I'd like to discuss why CAD standards are important to develop... what return do they get for the company as a whole.

What benifit are they to the users?

... I have some really general ideas... but they need further developing.

[omc-usnr]

Layering standards can be a big problem.  If everyone has their own way of putting entities on a layer they come up with, sharing the drawing file can be a mess.

With C3d, the program ships with several NCS templates which help show what can be done with styles.  In the days before C3d, I had my own layering structure, and often times spent a full day redoing layers from surveyors so I could easily find and isolate data.  Same for architects.  With the NCS, if the other contractor has followed that structure, I can find that data pretty easily now. 

One other thing that seems simple, is colors.  I used to work with one guy that used a bunch of purple & pinks - turned out he couldn't see reds & yellows well.  Also, I hate white backgrounds - I find it too tiring & glaring on my eyes.

Most standards are (or should be) set up to make sharing data easier and to come up with a company wide "look" for the company's output.

Reid

[ACADuser]

---

@Modifications wrote:

"I'd like to discuss why CAD standards are important to develop... what return do they get for the company as a whole."

---

Benefits to the company are many.  Here are a few that I believe warrant developing CAD standards.

One of the problems of not having standards is maintaining consistency.  Imagine going into McDonald's and ordering a Big Mac and after biting into it you realize the patty tastes like reconstituted chicken (a McNugget).  You may or may not like that, but the problem is you don't know what you will be getting the next time you order something.  That in my opinion is not good business practice.  Consistency is key.

A major benefit to having standards is you have the opportunity to choose how your company is perceived and  add value to what you provide to your customers.  Maybe they don't like Big Macs or McNuggets, this is where you stand to benefit the most.

Lastly, time is  money and standards if implemented correctly can pay off big time.  Just think of how much easier it would be to automate processes (Autolisp, etc.) if you had a set of standards.

[Anonymous]

If you do not have the support of management, run.  Run faster.

See if you can set up a meeting with cad staff from all departments.  Tell them what your job is with getting standards together, and setting them up better to do their job.  Get suggestions from them what they need.  Let them know you can't make everyone happy, but you will try for the majority.  Get their support.  Bribe them if you have to.  If they are not happy your job there is done.

If the company is that big, with a number of different departments I would consider getting standards set up for each department first, then trying to combine them at a later date.  Maybe you can set up a routine to convert from dept. 1 to dept. 2. 

Good luck