New CADD Manager Survey Posted

Hey – what kind of hardware are you running?

Let everyone know where you stand now and how soon you will upgrade.

Take the Survey

Many of us work with users who assist in the support of our AutoCAD efforts. You may call them SuperUsers, Liaisons, CAD Representatives, CAD Assistance or some other name. They typically do not work for the CAD Manager but are involved beyond the level of CAD User.

Below is a list that I have used to outline the duties and responsibilities that I wpould expect from someone in this position.

Project CAD Coordinator (as assigned)

• Represent your project to Management, Clients, and CAD Support
• Set up project areas
• Brainstorm new ideas to get things done
• Oversee Project kickoff
• Insure compliance with Client Standards

CAD Standards

• Police the CAD files on projects.
• Keep your eyes and ears open for problems
• Do not ignore problem areas or people
• Develop, Refine and Maintain the CAD standard
• Correct problems
• Provide feedback on the CAD Standards
• Help in defining and refining the standard methods of production

Communications

• Discuss CAD issues with Project Managers
• Communicate with clients on Project CAD related issues
• Pass on information gathered at CAD Rep meetings to your department

Training

• Train others in your Office
• Distribute training information to others
• Assist in developing curriculum for training

Software Testing

• Demo and test software
• Recommend purchases
• Keep your eyes open for new tools

Miscellaneous

• Help Create custom tools
• Set up standard methods of production
• Get trained before others
• Stay in the loop with new software tools

Do you have any further areas that should be added to this list?

As usual, AU was a great event. I have yet to be disappointed with it overall. I did hear several complaints about scattered hotels accommodations, bus and shuttle troubles and getting to classes.

Heading home today…

Check out Shaan Hurley photos of the event…

Last night was the AUGI Annual meeting and then beer and pizza.

The new AUGI logo was unveiled.

New info about what is coming up in the next year or so. Many new things.

Today I taught two more classes. ADT 2006 Project Standards and Developing Standards.

I will be adding to the blog and my website as soon as I return, but for now I am back to the show floor, talking to AUGI members.

I am writing this from AU 2005.

I just completed two classes on CAD Leadership. Talking with CAD Managers from all over the globe. Denmark, Norway, Turkey, Brazil, USA and others. One thing that does not surprise me is the commonality of CAD issues that beset all CAD Managers, no matter where they are from.

Issues like CAD Standards, Renegade Users, Software roll-outs, Training and more.

I will be blogging on some of these issues after I return from AU.

But for now I need to return to the conference and meet some more folks. Tonight is the AUGI Annual meeting. I will let you know more about what happens there later.

For those of you who use STAAD, here is a bit of interesting news.

For those of you that use Bentley products, this could get interesting to see how this is incorporated into the Bentley product line of CAD software.

Exton, Pa. – Nov. 22, 2005 – Bentley Systems, Incorporated today announced that it has completed its acquisition of the Research Engineers International (REI) business from netGuru, Inc. The business features the STAAD.Pro line of leading structural engineering analysis software, which is now offered by Bentley worldwide.

STAAD.Pro facilitates the design of steel, concrete, timber, and aluminum structures for buildings, plants, tunnels, bridges, and more. It offers a state-of-the-art user interface, visualization tools, and advanced finite element and dynamic analysis capabilities for multi-material design.

Read the rest of the press release…

http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Corporate/News/Quarter+4/STAAD.htm

Dress casual – business casual at best – you may also see some very sloppy dressers – Whatever you usually wear to work will be fine, unless you wear a tie – lose the tie.

Dress comfortable – these will be very long days – you may be walking a lot.

Bring plenty of business cards – pass them out – exchange them with others – give them to vendors

Take a lot of notes – Don’t expect to remember anything – by the end of the week your head will explode.

Talk to as many people as you can – Fellow users, vendors, teachers, Autodesk employees, etc.

Get the Handouts – Handouts will be made available for all classes. Handouts will be posted on-line after the event also. So if you miss a class or have two that you really want to attend at the same, you can still get the handout.

Be prepared to eat – a lot. Breakfast, Lunch and sometimes dinner is provided in ample portions.

Have Fun – take a break from the event if you need to rest. Get away from the crowd or take a power nap.

Expect to Learn A Lot – This is the best training in a wide variety of topics in a short amount of time.

See you there…

Enhancing the Vendor Relationship…

Now that you have selected the vendors that you should be managing, lets take a look at what I think is the first step to managing them… Creating or enhancing your relationship.

Like any relationships you have in life they need to be nurtured. Your relationships (like spouses, kids, neighbors, friends, etc) need attention from time to time to make sure that they are working well. Here are some steps that can be taken to create or improve your interactions with your vendors.

Step 1: Meet face to face as often as you can. If it is the initial meeting then make it in person. Most vendors would love to have some face time with you. They can better understand an environment that they have seen. You also can then put a face with a name. Take the time to show them around the office. Introduce them to some of your end users. Show them where the equipment or software that you are buying is used.

Step 2: Go to there office, training facility or demo room. Take the time to go see them on their turf. Get out of the office and make a road trip. Seeing them in their environment will show you what depth they have in personnel, what kind of support they will have in making you happy.

Step 3: Have them contact you once a month – even if nothing is going on. I make sure that I tell each of my vendors to check in with me on a monthly basis. It may only be a 2 minute call, but I request it. Then I watch to see which ones actually call me. Are they paying attention to me and my needs? They are trying to sell to me. It should be on their shoulders to contact me regularly.

Step 4: Give them permission to sell to you. Let them know that you want them to keep you informed. Don’t let them badger you to death. Just let them know that they should let you know about software or hardware that will really impact your operation.

Step 5: Set out the ground rules. Whenever I meet with a new vendor I set out the ground rules. I go over step 3 & 4 and other items that I think they should know about me and my operation.

Step 6: Keep them in line. Don’t let them access others in the firm without your permission. I don’t want my vendor trying to bend the ear of my CFO trying to convince him of some crazy ROI on some tool that I don’t even want to use. make sure that you don’t let them wander the halls. All interactions with the firm will be managed thru you.

All of us come in contact with Vendors or Resellers. Many of us don’t give much thought to managing our vendors. I think that is a mistake.

Vendor management is something that you should add to your list as a CAD Manager. Here are some ideas about VM.

Identify which vendors to manage…

First make a list of all the vendors you use. Write down everyone, big and small. Then go through the list and sort it by purchasing dollar volumn.

Take the top five and add them to your list of vendors to manage.

Now sort them by software seat count.

Take the top 5 and add them to your list. Remove duplicates.

Now sort them by productivity enhancement. It may be a small tool that does one thing that save tons of time.

Take the top 5 and add them to your list. Remove duplicates.

Now sort the list with the troublemakers, non performers, price gougers, con artists and “used car” salesman at the top.

Take the top 5 and add them to your list. Remove duplicates.

This is a good starting point for which vendors you need to manage