TheSwamp
CAD Forums => CAD General => Topic started by: jonesy on November 06, 2006, 08:39:20 AM
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I have been the CAD mangager here for little over a year, and until I threatened to leave a short while ago the title was just that... A title.
I have now been told that I will get the backing I need, regarding the standard of work produced. The standand generally produced here was, well, not the best I have seen. Not helped by summer placements (not told/shown where to find information), who have now left. I am spending hours extra on a job to put it right, before having to start working on it.
I am constantly amazed at the lack of quality... "but it looks OK" :pissed:
What I am looking for are ideas to help me push the people here to produce better looking drawings, and adhere to the standards.
One thing I have tried in the past is to give a user an audit form, and ask them to audit someone elses work to see what they pick up, and what they miss (This lets me know where THEY lack their knowledge too).
How do you guys make sure your company sends out good quality work?
Thanks in advance
Tracey
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We have THREE sets of eyes to review each document before the DESIGN makes it out the door, and the last guy is a STICKLER for perfect drawings, his motto is "Make each drawing look as if it were capable of being published in a BOOK of Post-Tension"
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We automate as much of our CAD standards into the menuing system and commands as possible. For example when our users enter a text type command we have a little VBA program to take them to the text layer and returns them when done (same for dimensioning). While not everything can be automated (because of time, lack of resources, etc...) if you make it easier to follow the standards then to do their own thing, then in most cases they will follow the standard.
The path of least resistance... :-)
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... if you make it easier to follow the standards then to do their own thing, then in most cases they will follow the standard.
The path of least resistance... :-)
ditto here
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I have been the CAD mangager here for little over a year, and until I threatened to leave a short while ago the title was just that... A title.
Most people that you talk with who are CAD Managers are going to agree with your statement that it is just a title. While I had this position, it took a long time and lots of smoozing with management to get their support! W/o that support, you have no power and pretty much talking til you are blue in the face!
You don't hire, you can't fire, you have no budget, your not given the time (you need to stay billable)
but yet you are responsible for the quality of work, quantity or work, upholding the Standards and dealing with all the crisis that may arise at any given time. But you already know that :wink:
There are several things that will help you push fellow employee's to draw better.
1) Make it as simple as possible. Provide everything a drafter will need to do their job. All the drawing tools, blocks, template files, plot setups etc. Some of this information can be placed in a template file, which I believe you use already. Streamline into lisp, macro's etc.
Remember this: it may take you 8 hours to set something up correctly once in a company wide environment, which will make a 15 minute task for a user happen in 1 minute. If you don't do this, the users could possibly spend 8 hrs a week doing the same thing! Also good to document this for management to see that you are saving money....
2) have lunch-n-learns once a month. Get the company to spring for lunch and you'll do some training. This goes a long way and employees are always hungry in more ways then one. They love information.
The problem is, the people who need to attend won't.
3) streamline Autocad so that it gives the user what they need and only when they need it. The layer creator you are working on is a great start.
**disclaimer: Not knowing what types of problems are your biggest culprit, this might be out of line. The lunch-n-learns are good even just for overall unity.
Just some thoughts.
Pieter
and what She said :-)
We automate as much of our CAD standards into the menuing system and commands as possible. For example when our users enter a text type command we have a little VBA program to take them to the text layer and returns them when done (same for dimensioning). While not everything can be automated (because of time, lack of resources, etc...) if you make it easier to follow the standards then to do their own thing, then in most cases they will follow the standard.
The path of least resistance... :-)
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we have one guy check it... until it's right (usually 2+ times), he lives by "It's never right".
I've only gotten one drawing through him without any red.
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Is it attitudes or lack of knowledge?
Lack of knowledge/Getting the "word" out:
Perhaps not everyone knows the company standards so three different folks are doing the same thing three different ways. If so, a great idea one company had was monthly, ( or bi-monthly until things run smoother) lunch time training. Get the department together on a regular basis and everyone will know what is expected and that's the time to exchange ideas/procedures/problems. If the company buys lunch it even better from the employees perspective, :evil: (nothing fancy maybe sandwiches)
Attitudes:
:evil:
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Our company is easy...............we have no standards.:? Okay, maybe I'm being a little harsh. Things have gotten better in our drafting department but our checker is pretty drafting illiterate. Hopefully this winter our standards will be in place, (somewhat) and things will improve. :roll:
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Again, make the right way the easiest way. Path of least resistance is correct.
It will take some customization, but well worth it in the long run.
At the monthly lunch meeting, ask for suggestions on customizations. If you have peeps that are capable, ask them to make some of the customizations. Even a short gripe session (keep it regarding drawings/software, short, and under control). If your staff takes some ownership in the changes you are trying to implement, it will go a long way.
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The way we do it here is...
Our guys have just given up trying to draw to standards. They just 'get it close' then pass it to me to 'fix'. Of course this eats MUCH time. It is sometimes easier for me to start over than to fix theirs.
BTW, I am currently MONTHS behind!
Something is going to have to give, but I am not sure what.
craigr
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We automate as much of our CAD standards into the menuing system and commands as possible. For example when our users enter a text type command we have a little VBA program to take them to the text layer and returns them when done (same for dimensioning). While not everything can be automated (because of time, lack of resources, etc...) if you make it easier to follow the standards then to do their own thing, then in most cases they will follow the standard.
The path of least resistance... :-)
I concur 100%. My / our standardization is through customization. Mostly pull down menus and some lisps. Text goes on the correct layer(s) as well as blocks, etc. It seems to work for me / us; I've been doing this for 12+ years, and I basically can teach a monkey to get a handle on things.
Pete
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Is it attitudes or lack of knowledge?
I think its mainly lack of knowledge, then not asking questions. We have been getting a lot of "green" caddies in (some are summer placements who are only with us for 6 weeks). It seems like I just get some to a stage of being really on the ball, then they move on. Some, well, I really despair. Entities on layers like "layer 1" kerblines on a text layer, then colour over-ride so they "look OK"
If the company buys lunch it even better from the employees perspective, :evil: (nothing fancy maybe sandwiches)
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: oh sorry, you were serious. :angel:
I simply HAVE to get some semi-automation in there. (again, this will probably have to be done by me, in my own time... I have 2 hours a week I can allocate to cad manager role, (including training!) everything else has to be charged to a job)
The thing that bugs me, is that we are a BIG multi-national company with standards to follow (these standards have been in place for more than 2 years. If someone from head-office came to check our work, we'd be stuffed.
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The way we do it here is...
Our guys have just given up trying to draw to standards. They just 'get it close' then pass it to me to 'fix'. Of course this eats MUCH time. It is sometimes easier for me to start over than to fix theirs.
BTW, I am currently MONTHS behind!
Something is going to have to give, but I am not sure what.
craigr
Craig, this is how I feel I am, but if I carry on tidying their rubbish, they'll never get any different, and I'll get more frustrated... so I am trying to pick on one thing each time, till we eliminate that, then move on to the next thing, but its a painstaking process.
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You know what puts a wrench in my shorts :realmad: is when the checker nit picks my stuff to death, but when he draws something (and he checks his own stuff??) all is fine in his world. Some how he doesn't see the mistakes that are so blatantly clear. Hmmmmm, interesting.
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In my previous job I was the CM for a firm with 58 (cad users) - it was difficult and hard to implement any standards - I just stay there for a year and came where I work nowdays (as a janitor)...
Good luck - is all I can say.
:-)
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Jonesy, I agree its a lack of knowledge and probably out right laziness. When I went to school for drafting it was an actual 2 year degree type class, now the class is obsolete, they've replaced the 2yr. class with an 8 hour class to get people doing basic (and I mean basic) cad drawings. I've been drafting for 16 yrs and I'm still learning. :wink:
Good luck to you.
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but if I carry on tidying their rubbish, they'll never get any different, and I'll get more frustrated...
Boy does this sound like the "Mum" in you coming out :-D
"Clean up your stuff...I'm not doing this for you anymore"
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I am dealing with Opinions.
Everyone thinks that their way is the only way do things and think that everyone else way is wrong.
I have one brown noser that has change the font style on the title block to suit his own liking. The handful of people that that followed the few standards, were furious. At our yearly review we demanded cad standards. They said okay and set up lunch time meetings, all of four, to discuss standards. The first thing we tackled was how to work xrefs. This turned into a fiasco. Everybody had a different opinion on this subject <and rightfully so> and turned very heated. We never got beyond xrefs.
All we wanted was the title block offender and another offender to be corrected. Nothing ever happen to those people.
:realmad: :realmad: :realmad:
I have become the guy that manages & fixes the software. I have then sneeked in some customization and try to educate the users. Those that follow standards use it, those that think that they know better don’t.
<After reading this I come to the conclusion that I am doing is ranting, Please read it for what it is>
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Meetings to get input are great. But there has to be a boss. Someone who has the authority (right or wrong) to say "this is what we are doing". With all the power and trappings that go with it.
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but if I carry on tidying their rubbish, they'll never get any different, and I'll get more frustrated...
Boy does this sound like the "Mum" in you coming out :-D
"Clean up your stuff...I'm not doing this for you anymore"
:lmao: :lmao: but at least my kids do what I say... well more often that not
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I have one brown noser that has change the font style on the title block to suit his own liking. The handful of people that that followed the few standards, were furious. At our yearly review we demanded cad standards. They said okay and set up lunch time meetings, all of four, to discuss standards. The first thing we tackled was how to work xrefs. This turned into a fiasco. Everybody had a different opinion on this subject <and rightfully so> and turned very heated. We never got beyond xrefs.
At my previous place of emplyment, we had a CADD Standards committee. For a good 18 months, they discussed the titleblock. In the end, there were 2 different titleblocks because one group would not compromise. And lets not discuss the standard text height! :ugly:
Commitee's also don't make good CADD Standards. I believe that no matter what size the company, CADD Standards should be decided by one person. The Commitee might exist to give recommendations and general consensus, but one person should have the power to excecute something and have the ability to enforce it.
Anyway, back to what she is asking help for.
2 hours a week is not even close. You probably need 2 hours a day! (are you doing support issues as well?) With every 5th day devoted entirely to customization, R&D etc. They key for this to actually happen is you need to find someone (hopefully your boss) who understands exactly what you are dealing with. Sit down with them, at lunch, after work and have a heart to heart and explain things. Tell them why it's hurting the company, but also give him options on what can be done. You have to do this every chance you get, and hopefully you'll be given more time.
For example, the layer routine you are working on. Create a simple email, define the problem, give examples of a specific drawing. outline the routine you are creating and explain in detail how it will eliminate the problem. It is just about mandantory that you turn a CADD issue into a money issue as most management types understand money. If it currently takes a user 15 minutes to do a task, and with this routine the user can accomplish the same task within seconds, you will get their attention.
Pieter
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Our standards have been set by our head office so we are all supposed to be using them, and now I have the authority to enforce them. :evil:
Thanks for that advice Pieter. I have people to train tomorrow morning, but I will try to put an email together after that, to try to get extra time allocated to the customising and sytem management. So "watch this space".
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I suppose it would be inappropriate to carry a whip around and beat whoever didn't comply. Probably quicker though. :evil:
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I suppose it would be inappropriate to carry a whip around and beat whoever didn't comply. Probably quicker though. :evil:
Some might enjoy it too much...
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Some might enjoy it too much...
I would think the novelty would wear off for her after a while though. :lmao:
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Some might enjoy it too much...
I would think the novelty would wear off for her after a while though. :lmao:
*nudge mav*
[edited = not right for this thread] I went to far...sorry Jonesy!
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Great advice Pieter! You are right about everything relates to money. :-)
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Great advice Pieter! You are right about everything relates to money. :-)
Well, I started with just being a drafter and pretty much created my own title of division Cadd Coordinator.
Along with that, came it's own title and some power. But I went from 100% billable to probably only 10-20% billable. The rest of my time was devoted to this very issue.
Thats when I was doing a lunch-n-learn once a month. Talking with users on a daily basis.
Starting to streamline things and make progress. Learning routines and what kind of optios were out there.
The thing that really made a difference was from a class I took at Last years AU in talking about Return on Investment. The ROI of an upgrade and how to take a simple item and associating a cost to it. When I produced some hard dollar figure facts, it became very hard to ignore.
Word to the wise... it's a very, very fine line on pushing and pushing too hard...
The rest is history and that's why I'm my own boss now... (for the time being)
Pieter
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I have 2 hours a week I can allocate to cad manager role, (including training!) everything else has to be charged to a job)
So much for "all the backing you need". IMMHO, two hours a week isn't even a good start. We have everything already in place and it takes longer than that to maintain it. To set it up will take more like two hours a day... every day ... for a year.
You can get a start with customization by getting the easy things out of the way first, layer formats, dimstyles, text styles, etc. that can be setup easily in templates with a few simple list functions to insure elements on the right layers. After that, look for the easiest to gain compliance from everybody. Once people get in the habit of complying with your standards, it gets easier to get compliance the next time.
The thing that bugs me, is that we are a BIG multi-national company with standards to follow (these standards have been in place for more than 2 years. If someone from head-office came to check our work, we'd be stuffed.
Sounds like your standards are set (at least some of them) what you need now are methods that make it easier to comply than not.
I simply HAVE to get some semi-automation in there. (again, this will probably have to be done by me, in my own time...
okay, I'm going to say this just once and quietly. If it’s worth you doing it, it’s worth paying you for. Now I've done a bunch of stuff just to learn how it was done and improve my marketability, but it’s a rare day when I donate my time to an organization that makes a heck of a lot more money than I do, especially if they see no more importance in it than two hours a week.. A lot of the development I've done over the years has been on billable contracts, if they are seeing the benefit of the development, why not the cost?
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I have 2 hours a week I can allocate to cad manager role, (including training!) everything else has to be charged to a job)
So much for "all the backing you need". IMMHO, two hours a week isn't even a good start. We have everything already in place and it takes longer than that to maintain it. To set it up will take more like two hours a day... every day ... for a year.
Two hours a week is a bit more than I had before, and I sometimes get a bit more time if I have managed to get ahead of myself with workload.
You can get a start with customization by getting the easy things out of the way first, layer formats, dimstyles, text styles, etc. that can be setup easily in templates with a few simple list functions to insure elements on the right layers. After that, look for the easiest to gain compliance from everybody. Once people get in the habit of complying with your standards, it gets easier to get compliance the next time.
Templates are already there. What I need to do is find some way of making sure they start a drawing with a template... not with a blank drawing.
The thing that bugs me, is that we are a BIG multi-national company with standards to follow (these standards have been in place for more than 2 years. If someone from head-office came to check our work, we'd be stuffed.
Sounds like your standards are set (at least some of them) what you need now are methods that make it easier to comply than not.
The standards are there, they have been long before our company was bought out. Our local office menu is slowly growing, but I guess I need to get a pgp file locked onto all machines, and also a way of making it difficult to NOT draw to standards
I simply HAVE to get some semi-automation in there. (again, this will probably have to be done by me, in my own time...
okay, I'm going to say this just once and quietly. If it’s worth you doing it, it’s worth paying you for. Now I've done a bunch of stuff just to learn how it was done and improve my marketability, but it’s a rare day when I donate my time to an organization that makes a heck of a lot more money than I do, especially if they see no more importance in it than two hours a week.. A lot of the development I've done over the years has been on billable contracts, if they are seeing the benefit of the development, why not the cost?
I see your point, and thoroughly agree with it. I annoys me that they say they want good quality drawings to be sent out, but theres no money set aside to do it, and the contracts are cut so close to the profit line, so theres no money in the budget to invest in things that WILL save us time and money in the future. I will sit down in a short while and get that email that Pieter advised, written to the boss
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I see your point, and thoroughly agree with it. I annoys me that they say they want good quality drawings to be sent out, but theres no money set aside to do it, and the contracts are cut so close to the profit line, so theres no money in the budget to invest in things that WILL save us time and money in the future. I will sit down in a short while and get that email that Pieter advised, written to the boss
Never enough time to do it right, but plenty of time to re-invent the wheel every time you need one. Be specific with the email. List areas that will be easy to fix that will show some improvement in productivity fast.
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Get your CAD Manual button'ed up, idiot proof. and issue to all. then do a workshop presentation, highlighting the main points, in big bold bad ass fonts!
I had to go round all of our offices doing this, but it seemed to work.
Also getting stuff on menus is great, the tool pallettes are dead easy to customize as well. our symbols & layers etc are now just drag and drop.
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and also a way of making it difficult to NOT draw to standards
It goes back to having authority but.......
not working there would make it difficult to draw without using standards. :-D
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I see your point, and thoroughly agree with it. I annoys me that they say they want good quality drawings to be sent out, but theres no money set aside to do it, and the contracts are cut so close to the profit line, so theres no money in the budget to invest in things that WILL save us time and money in the future. I will sit down in a short while and get that email that Pieter advised, written to the boss
<Preaching to the choir here, I know, but it needs saying.>
Good customization will save time for everyone and will save money.
Think of customization as a template drawing (poor example) or a Tool Jig (better example). A tool jig takes time & money to build and set up. However, once set up that jig will help create quality and speed up production. That layer customization you want to do; is no different.
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Our local office menu is slowly growing, but I guess I need to get a pgp file locked onto all machines, and also a way of making it difficult to NOT draw to standards
Just my 2 cents on locking down a pgp file. Don't do it! For many, especially long time users, the PGP file is like a pair of underwear. They have used it for years(not the same pair) and they don't want to change. The pgp file really, shouldn't have any control with adherance to standards. pgp files are just quick key commands for normal commands. Also, this will cause much rebellion by the users. :pissed:
A lady I worked with had "B" as rectang. If I forced her to use "REC" or even "R", she would have a fit!
Plus, it will slow her down to adhere to a company pgp file.
You can set up the template with the /t command line switch with the Autocad icon. Providing that everyone starts AutoCAD with the icon and not double-clicking a drawing. For this to work, all users need to launch off of the same icon. With IT's help, you can put a menu in the start menu that points to the server and then have the Autocad icon there. Which means you need to remove all the AutoCAD icons from the local machines. In my template, I would put in big letters the client name or the client logo. So, the users saw it right in their face. If they didn't see the correct client, they knew they were in the wrong client (we used Profiles for the different clients).
Start with the "most bang for the buck" and the things that are easy and cost very little do to.
Pieter
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I agree with Pieter about the pgp file. Let the users use there own, they are more productive that way and a line is a line, no matter what you use to call the line command. The good thing about autocad is that there are many ways to achieve the same thing... :-)
The other thing to consider is files that are shared by all users, standard (templates, blocks, etc...). Put them on a network somewhere and control the order of the search paths on each users computer. Build and use profiles as an easy and consistent way to deploy the same information to each computer. Therefore when something needs correcting/updating you correct it in one location and everyone gets it at relatively the same time. However plan your directory structure in advance (with rhyme and reason...) if possible with future growth in mind. Once you have your directory structure and files in place, restrict the permissions on who has access to this area from a "write" perspective.
Training goes a long way in providing the person the ability to make knowledgable choices about the way they draft. If your users understand the system and understand the way they do work, they will start asking "Can you write a program to do this repetitious task?"
Some users will draft sloppily out of ignorance (these people are trainable) and some will do sloppy work out of pure laziness (run as far and as fast as you can away from these, they are usually the brown nosers). Know the difference... and don't waste your time.
Of course above all, be a change agent... People don't want to change anything unless they a) Know how it will effect them and b) What's in it for them.
Let them know upfront how these changes will help them with their work processes. Happy trained users make the life of a support person so much better because then you actually have time to write some programs, maybe? :-)
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The other thing to consider is files that are shared by all users, standard (templates, blocks, etc...). Put them on a network somewhere and control the order of the search paths on each users computer. Build and use profiles as an easy and consistent way to deploy the same information to each computer. Therefore when something needs correcting/updating you correct it in one location and everyone gets it at relatively the same time. However plan your directory structure in advance (with rhyme and reason...) if possible with future growth in mind. Once you have your directory structure and files in place, restrict the permissions on who has access to this area from a "write" perspective.
Now Arizona, did you by chance get a copy of my handout for AU?? :evil:
Maybe you should teach my class as you did a pretty good summary of it :lol:
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and also a way of making it difficult to NOT draw to standards
It goes back to having authority but.......
I don't think so. When I first got here I had no authority except what I took, but what I did was provide a couple of routines and a custom menu that meant the user never had to think about annotation layers again. It was a lot easier to use the tools (and thereby comply with standards) than it was to do it all "long-hand". I didn't have to "make" anyone use it, in fact i only showed it to two guys and within the month they were all using it... and complying with annotation standards without knowing it.
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Pieter, the reason I'd thought of locking down a pgp...
We draw many road schemes, and the road markings we use in the UK, I have created a little routine on the menu, which loads the linetype, sets the width and draws the pline to the correct standards.... I have come across users who know HOW to use the menu version, but wont cos its quicker for them to use the more familiar PL...
What would be better than "just the menu" for encouraging the users to actually use the routines?
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Now Arizona, did you by chance get a copy of my handout for AU?? :evil:
Maybe you should teach my class as you did a pretty good summary of it :lol:
Heh... No this is the way we handle it.
Currently I support about 75 users. If I had to run around making changes to individual machines I woulds go nuts!
Smart users = Less support calls
Smart setup = Less system glitches
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What would be better than "just the menu" for encouraging the users to actually use the routines?
This is where training comes in. First they need to understand the importance of consistent data. The more consistent the data the more things that can be automated. Second, you need to "sell" this method of working by pointing out the efficiencies that can be gained. You need their buy-in! In reality they become your customers. :-)
And if all that fails... try the whip, the brute force method is occasionally successful. :evil:
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Second, you need to "sell" this method of working by pointing out the efficiencies that can be gained. You need their buy-in! In reality they become your customers. :-)
And if all that fails... try the whip, the brute force method is occasionally successful. :evil:
Az has me thinkin, (from my novice standpoint). Working in the bullpit does have one advantage. Witnessing the really strange things some people do to a drawing, and trying to find a fix. Perhaps if the kids where to work on another's dwg the standards would come to light. Maybe (?)
That and brute force :-)
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Jonesy, a very interesting thread.
I had to laugh at your "book the hours to the project" quote - I've been cadding in the UK for many years and if I had a quid for each time I'd been told that then I'd be playing golf with Bill Gates now. Sadly, these days managers seem driven purely by short-term financial gain (at least here in the UK anyway), its not necessarily their fault, just a reflection of the pressures they're under from the clueless finance suits that really run things.
I would suggest automation is the way to go, concentrating on those functions that offer the greatest time savings and greatest ease of use. Anything that makes the user's life easier will generally be readily accepted.
More importantly I would suggest that you log each use of the automation, a small snippet of code can achieve this transparently without anyone knowing. (give me a shout if you need an example)
After a month or two these logs will provide you with an invaluable tool to demonstrate actual time/money savings to your management. You'll be surprised how accomodating they can be after being confronted with coloured graphs showing big savings.
As a final note I would also suggest that you play-down the role of "CAD Manager" and big-up your role as a "CAD Systems Developer" because management are often under the impression that any cad operator can be a cad manager, lets face it very few CAD managers can automate, so make the most of your skills.
Good Luck.
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I have created a little routine on the menu, which loads the linetype, sets the width and draws the pline to the correct standards
you can also make this into a command with lisp. You use a long explanatory name and tell your users it is available then they can make whatever shortcut they want for it. Some people prefer the typed commands to menus.
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Jonesy, a very interesting thread.
......
I would suggest automation is the way to go, concentrating on those functions that offer the greatest time savings and greatest ease of use. Anything that makes the user's life easier will generally be readily accepted.
More importantly I would suggest that you log each use of the automation, a small snippet of code can achieve this transparently without anyone knowing. (give me a shout if you need an example)
After a month or two these logs will provide you with an invaluable tool to demonstrate actual time/money savings to your management. You'll be surprised how accomodating they can be after being confronted with coloured graphs showing big savings.
.....
Good Luck.
I second that.
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Currently I support about 75 users.
Try over three hundred.
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Currently I support about 75 users.
Try over three hundred.
You win!! Greg, send him a prize.
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Currently I support about 75 users.
Try over three hundred.
You win!! Greg, send him a prize.
Done!
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Pieter, the reason I'd thought of locking down a pgp...
We draw many road schemes, and the road markings we use in the UK, I have created a little routine on the menu, which loads the linetype, sets the width and draws the pline to the correct standards.... I have come across users who know HOW to use the menu version, but wont cos its quicker for them to use the more familiar PL...
What would be better than "just the menu" for encouraging the users to actually use the routines?
See, with more information we can give better suggestions :-D
A couple ways to handle this:
1) I believe you can redefine commands. Take pline out of the program if it causes that much of a problem. If this is too extreme, at least have it popup a dialog box that says "there is a more streamlined/prefered method via the company menu.
2)Is your road routine one command or a group of command for different road types? if it's one command, you could educate your users to add it to their pgp file.
3) the pgp file is one location where you can set shortcuts but not the only location. Setting shortcuts via a menu/lisp will trump a pgp. The only thing though, the menu or lisp have to load after Autocad reads the pgp file, but I'm not 100% certain.
Currently I support about 75 users.
Try over three hundred.
I won't say how many I had, nor the number of offices accross the country.
Pieter
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I won't say how many I had, nor the number of offices accross the country.
Pieter
Why? Are you afraid of winning? :? :-D
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I do not (comprende) understand... how someone can have a CM title and does not know how to do powerful customizations - menus are pretty straight forward - like doing scripts.
But it must be just me.
I do not work as a CM but had help improvise the standards (but not just a document or simple menus or simple lisp stuff) for a company of more than 2000 users and continue giving support to them (ZIUR - in Spain)
How can I find a job like those.... ? :-) - I am open to offers.
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Currently I support about 75 users.
Try over three hundred.
Ok, I guess I should have specified a little better...
75 autocad users in Florida and another 75 microstation users in Raleigh.
Then I support our field people on the doc. mgt. system so add another 100 in each location. Then let's add another 10 outside contracting companies...
But, I gotta admit I Love My Job! :-)
Luis, Try the utilities...steady work. No highs and lows.
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Ok, I guess I should have specified a little better...
75 autocad users in Florida and another 75 microstation users in Raleigh.
Then I support our field people on the doc. mgt. system so add another 100 in each location. Then let's add another 10 outside contracting companies...
But, I gotta admit I Love My Job! :-)
Mav - I'll call UPS and tell them to delay the pick up of the prize a couple of days.
I sure hope it doesn't suffocate.
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You told them not to feed it this time right?
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You told them not to feed it this time right?
Not after midnight at any rate. And to keep it away from water.
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I do not (comprende) understand... how someone can have a CM title and does not know how to do powerful customizations - menus are pretty straight forward - like doing scripts.
But it must be just me.
I do not work as a CM but had help improvise the standards (but not just a document or simple menus or simple lisp stuff) for a company of more than 2000 users and continue giving support to them (ZIUR - in Spain)
How can I find a job like those.... ? :-) - I am open to offers.
You have to start to learn somewhere (and I am currently studying programming at university, so I will get there).
It seems that in the UK, many business managers do not understand the benefits of programming AutoCAD, and there seems to be a real shortage of people who can customise it, even menus... when I first started the customising here, the users/management were "wow, I didnt know that you could change that", but they STILL dont really see the time/money savings it could bring. When management dont understand the capabilities and benefits, it is a very hard job to get them to back you, and give you time to do these tasks, so you feel like you are marking time.
I became CAD Manager because I was the most qualified and experienced person they could find around here :-)
One day I hope to be as good a programmer as some of you guys here, but one step at a time ;-)
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jonesy,
When I implemented some changes like this a while ago, I made both menu commands, and buttons available. The menu is good, but buried; a button, with a new icon is something visible, and only one click away to boot. As you continue your customizations you'll end up with a 'magic toolbar' that everyone knows how to use. Then they won't know how to do anything without it!
Taking the pline command out of the pgp might be a little drastic (I can't imagine the heat I'd have gotten for doing that) but you'd probably only need to do it for a week. Note that you could leave it in the draw menu so it would still be available.
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I became CAD Manager because I was the most qualified and experienced person they could find around here :-)
I think most of us started this way :-)
One day I hope to be as good a programmer as some of you guys here, but one step at a time ;-)
You go girl... :-)
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One day I hope to be as good a programmer. . .
You WILL
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I do not (comprende) understand... how someone can have a CM title and does not know how to do powerful customizations - menus are pretty straight forward - like doing scripts.
But it must be just me.
Not sure why this statement was made, maybe becuase I am not 100% sure on how to redefine a command. Yes, I could take 5 minutes to look it up and figure it out and explain it here. But that's not what is being asked. It's more of "you could do this" kind of statement.
Maybe it was for other reasons. CADD Managers aren't just born and become instantly talented on everything there is to know about AutoCAD and all it can/can't do. I've also come to realize that CADD Managers don't nor should try to know everything. It takes too much away from trying to manage and keep things going.
I have come up with some very crazy ideas that I have wanted to implement. I may not know how to accomplish the code or the means, but the idea is good. The code and the means can be hired out or learned as we are given time. I had a idea to do something within AutoCAD and my reseller said it can't be done. Then it went to AutoDesk and they said it can't be done. One day I'm sitting at a meeting and explain my idea to a programmer/user type friend and he's like "we can do that". The next day, I had a snippet of code that accomplished what I desired.
Pieter
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My comment was in GENERAL and I pointed specific about the menus, because that's what most of the posts are referring according to me, nothing else and in no way to take it personal :-)
I had worked twice as a CM doing HALF-programming - HALF-production - HALF-project manager stuff and that's why I end up quitting... and work now as a Janitor if this can be call a job... but what can I do.... :laugh:
Maybe for me the description of a CM it is focus into make sure an office could be efficient - from knowing how to use the cad software out-of-the-box thru personalization (via customization - in any programming language)... among many others that could be addressed after this one...
Have fun.
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I do not (comprende) understand... how someone can have a CM title and does not know how to do powerful customizations - menus are pretty straight forward - like doing scripts.
But it must be just me.
I'm sure it's not just you, I suspect it's a cultural thing.
Here in the UK very few CAD managers I've met can customize, even less can automate with coding. As mentioned earlier in this thread, most CM's find themselves in this role because they'd been with the company the longest. Its also very surprising how few CM's have any formal training in their subject, even though we've had national qualifications for over 25 years now. The vast majority of British CM's will occupy the bulk of their time devising (& defending) their 150+ page standards detailing Layer names, linetypes, text sizes etc but will never give real time-saving measures a second thought.
(Obviously we all know that Layer "BX-01234-GHY-87-L" should be reserved for underground pipes dont we") ;-)
With the ever present need to lower staff costs, British companies are increasingly looking for very cheap over-seas draughting services (£3/hr) instead of investing in practical efficiency saving measures. Some simple automation in my current place of work has reduced draughting time for certain drawings from 3 days down to 30 minutes, multiplied by over 30 staff this amounts to some pretty impressive numbers.
I suppose the most efficient business model would be to combine cheap over-seas labour with a high degree of automation - I hope that moment arrives sometime after I've retired but I suspect it'll be happening a lot sooner than we expect.
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(Obviously we all know that Layer "BX-01234-GHY-87-L" should be reserved for underground pipes dont we") ;-)
YES ! it is pretty obvious - it can't be any better way to make the naming convention explanatory like this one - thank you for sharing it. :laugh:
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Currently I support about 75 users.
Try over three hundred.
75 autocad users in Florida and another 75 microstation users in Raleigh.
Then I support our field people on the doc. mgt. system so add another 100 in each location. Then let's add another 10 outside contracting companies...
That is three hundred AutoCAD users... in this office... but I'm not going to talk about MSTA seats or PDS or FrameWorksPlus or TEKLA or Plant4D, or SmartPlant, or the field personnel, or anything else. I've seen the kinds of prizes Greg has, and thanks, but no thanks, the wounds are healing nicely and the surgeon says the scarring will be minimal.
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scarring will be minimal.
dang...I didn't irritate it enough.
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That is three hundred AutoCAD users... in this office... but I'm not going to talk about MSTA seats or PDS or FrameWorksPlus or TEKLA or Plant4D, or SmartPlant, or the field personnel, or anything else. I've seen the kinds of prizes Greg has, and thanks, but no thanks, the wounds are healing nicely and the surgeon says the scarring will be minimal.
Sounds like you have the kind of days I have... a little crazy...a little hectic and always waiting for that next phone call :-)
I'll pass on Greg's prizes as well... You just never know :-)