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Traits of a Good CAD User - Part 3

Trait 11: They can be trusted

They can be trusted to get things done. When you have to have some CAD files adjusted and they agree to do it. They follow through. They can also be trusted when taken into confidence. Sometimes you need to know how good or bad other users are and the good ones will be able to assess other users and their abilities.

Trait 12: They are honest when asked

You need to have users who can tell it like it is. Oh sure there are those who hack and curse at the total lack of standards and how dumb things are at your firm. These are the ones you need to keep your eye on. But the good users are honest in their critique of the system and its shortcomings. They don't just gloss over the sour spots. They address them because they want to see things get better.

Trait 13: They have a proper perspective on effort

Many times I have seen users get bogged down trying to "over CAD" things. By this I mean that they spend way too much time drawing the little nit picky things that do not matter. If they are a BIM user, they try to force every last detail into the model. If they are a CAD user they tend to over hatch, over detail, over annotate, and over scrutinize the whole set. There is a point at which you need to stop pushing everything into the CAD file.

Trait 14: They don't ask too many questions

Now I am not saying that they should just sit there and draw and never talk to anyone about anything, but some users seem to be like a deer in the headlights. They are frozen because they lack the confidence that comes from using CAD and understanding the standards. Good users seem to try to figure it out by themselves.

Trait 15: They are not afraid to ask for help or admit they don't know the answer

If they are not making progress they bring others in for assistance. They don't spin their wheels chasing after some elusive answer if it is taking too long.

Part 4...