When to Give Up and Move On

I have noticed that some users get fixated on problems and spend hours of time on some small annoying problem that is bothering them.  They discover or stumble into some particular rough spot and begin to wonder why the system is not operating the way they think it should.  They often come across some real failure in the software or their file that halts their progress.

Users can sometime get derailed into trying to fix their own problems.  If there is a CAD Manager available - it is their job, no the users.  The users need to stay productive and on task and not get sidelined into troubleshooting.

Here are some thoughts about getting them back on track...

• Take the problem away from them.  When you find out the answer - get back to them.
• Explain that sometimes it is fruitless to pound on a problem that may not have a fix.  Software sometimes ties our files into knots that cannot be untied.  We may need to retrace our tracks and work around the issue.
• Get them back into the design mode by getting a quick workaround in place.
• Restore the file from backups - sometimes the fix will take longer than redrawing it
• Ignore the problem.  Sometimes the problem is not really a problem.  It is just software reacting in a way that the user does not expect.  It may be annoying, but does not impact the project.