Expert CAD Management The Complete Guide phần 10 doc

248 APPENDIX G: TIPS FOR SOLIDWORKS-BASED ENVIRONMENTS ■ Although there’s nothing you can do to control your business environment and the number of locations where users reside, you can manage the environment using the same metrics defined in Appendix A, “Optimizing Software Performance.” To manage SolidWorks environments, you must first understand these key statistics: System type—collaborative mode SolidWorks-focused CAD installations are almost always collaborative in nature: Users create parts that come together in assemblies and produce drawings. Because large teams of engineers, designers, and detailers all need access to the latest data in real time, SolidWorks CAD systems must be managed as a fully collaborative environment. Software footprint—typically 1 GB or more when installed SolidWorks-focused CAD installations typically include large libraries of components in various standards (such as ISO, DIN, and JIS) that can make the installation size grow very large. Given the collaborative file-sharing mode and large software footprint, Solid- Works environments face a fundamental conundrum: Large files need local resources to run quickly, but the collaborative design mode of the software rules out local file locations. The following recommendations reflect the best management of SolidWorks environments I’ve seen in industry: Software installation Run the software from the local machine to gain maximum per- formance. Even though network versions are available, they will slow users’ speeds and impact their productivity. Installing software on the local machine has no detrimental effect on anyone and gives CAD users the speed they crave. And by running the soft- ware locally, you preserve precious network bandwidth for moving data rather than running applications. File storage Store files on LANs if at all possible because WAN/Internet access radi- cally slows access speeds. SolidWorks environments, with their large 3D part and assembly structures, generate huge files that don’t move well over WANs and Internet connections. If your business model requires sharing of files over WANs, try to store the files most users need on their closest server to increase bandwidth and keep access speeds as high as possible. Miscellaneous Hints SolidWorks environments have complex software and file-sharing needs and thus require more planning and network analysis than most other environments do. You’ll find that the more you plan and the more you work with your IT department, the bet- ter things will go. 16531bapp07.qxd 3/19/07 1:45 PM Page 248 249 ■ MISCELLANEOUS HINTS Figure G.1 Your company’s system of local machines, servers, and networks determines where data can best be stored with the least amount of delay experienced by your CAD software users. In cases where your IT department or management is pushing you to move CAD files to WANs or Internet servers, be aware that performance degradation will be extreme and that CAD user productivity will be adversely affected. Push for testing or pilot projects to verify that WAN/Internet methodologies are workable before you’re forced to support a bad decision. Internet Disk Disk Server CAD Station CAD Station CAD Station LAN WAN Connection LAN Disk Disk Disk 16531bapp07.qxd 3/19/07 1:45 PM Page 249 16531bapp07.qxd 3/19/07 1:45 PM Page 250 251 ■ AN OPEN LETTER TO SENIOR MANAGEMENT An Open Letter to Senior Management by Robert Green If you’re a member of senior management and you’re reading this, it’s likely because your CAD manager has brought it to your attention after reading my book, Expert CAD Management—The Complete Guide. I’d like to take this opportunity to state my belief that the CAD manager is one of the most overlooked and underutilized positions in engineering, architecture, and manufacturing fields today. My message to senior management is that you have a goldmine of knowledge and technical skill in your CAD manager, and you should be taking advantage of it. The CAD manager is a hands-on technician who can also communicate with people, juggle multiple priorities, implement organizational and technological change, and somehow keep everything running in the meanwhile. This is no easy set of tasks, so if you’re blessed with a great CAD manager, you should be thinking about how to utilize this extraordinary set of skills more fully. In this open letter, I’ll set forth some ideas for doing so. Low Overhead = False Economy As industrial productivity has gone up and cost-cutting has become the norm, CAD managers are being pressed to be billable and abandon “overhead activities” that are seen as costing money. The problem is that cost-cutting has come to include tasks like setting up project stan- dards, training users, providing support, and rolling out new software as overhead activities CAD managers should avoid rather than the productivity-enhancing activities they actually are. If setting up project standards and training users on them were done religiously at the start of every new job, wouldn’t we see reduced rework and overall CAD time during the lifecycle of the project? When CAD management is performed correctly at the start of project cycles, everyone benefits because projects run better, standards are followed, and errors are reduced. Advice for senior management: Work with your CAD manager to define mutually worthwhile tasks like proper project standards formulation, job kickoff training, and job sup- port as non-overhead so CAD management tasks are paid for from project budgets. If any departments in your company object, ask them if their projects are always well organized, error free, and easily combined with work from other departments before allowing them to opt out of CAD management. More Software = More Pressure Over the last five or so years, CAD software has become more specialized and more complex. Whereas a CAD manager used to worry about a 2D CAD tool (usually AutoCAD or Micro- Station), it’s now common to manage specialized 3D design tools for building modeling, civil topography, or part modeling/assembly tasks. In a real sense, CAD management is harder now 16531bapp08.qxd 3/19/07 1:46 PM Page 251 252 AN OPEN LETTER TO SENIOR MANAGEMENT ■ than it was before because there’s more to manage. When CAD managers complain that their job is getting tougher, they probably mean they’re at their wits end with sup- porting so many different software tools. Advice for senior management: Understand that your CAD manager is being pulled in more directions than ever as your company employs new software technolo- gies to get the job done. Know that your CAD manager is the conduit facilitating the implementation of these new technologies and that they need training to stay on top of the ever-changing technology you expect them to master. If at all possible, include a training budget and some quality time for your CAD manager to fully understand the software they must manage, because not doing so will diminish the return you get from the expensive design software you’ve purchased. Involvement with Hardware, Software, and Budgets In recent years, CAD managers haven’t had much to do with hardware, operating sys- tems, and networking, as corporate IT departments have taken over the purchase and deployment of CAD workstations. The efficiency of this practice is understandable, but it has led to artificially low cost estimations for CAD hardware and the purchase of equipment that isn’t optimized for CAD usage. CAD workstations require more power, more RAM, bigger disks, faster network interfaces, better graphics, and bigger monitors than regular computers, and as such they cost a lot more. Although your CAD manager may not buy the computers or deploy them, at least make sure the CAD manager is involved in the specification and budget- ing of new computer hardware. You wouldn’t let an architect tell a civil engineer what tools they need to do their job, so don’t let your IT department hamstring your CAD users by under-buying on hardware. Advice for senior management: Get your CAD manager’s unique input on the future of hardware and software platforms early this year, and make sure to involve them in the budgeting process to avoid costly IT surprises. CAD computing platforms will change a lot in the coming years, so it will pay to have a CAD-centric look at the market. Process Changes Most management teams I know would agree that business gets better by delivering better designs and products faster and cheaper than before. Most management teams would also agree that new software technology, when properly implemented, can assist in facilitating these goals but that changing the processes within the company is more important than changing the software. What most management teams I’ve talked to don’t see clearly is that the CAD manager is in a unique position to assist in making the process changes required to gain better efficiency. Believe me when I tell you that CAD managers know which processes work and which ones don’t, and they have a generally good idea of where 16531bapp08.qxd 3/19/07 1:46 PM Page 252 253 ■ AN OPEN LETTER TO SENIOR MANAGEMENT changes can best be made to make things work better. CAD managers typically don’t have business or accounting degrees, but they can tell you where the inefficiencies are in your operation and how to begin fixing them. Don’t believe me? Ask your CAD manager! Advice for senior management: Instead of viewing your CAD manager as a techno jock, view them as an efficiency consultant who can tell you where the inefficiencies in your operation are. If you view your CAD manager as a managerial resource, you begin to see the real potential they have to help you improve your business. Connecting Your Departments CAD used to be the exclusive domain of engineers and architects, but now CAD files are used for field operations, prototyping, estimating, supplier integration, and a vari- ety of other purposes. If you went back ten years and asked how many companies were using CAD systems to output bills of materials, interface with the manufacturing floor, or drive custom design and manufacturing of configurable products, you’d find few companies who even believed in the concept. If you ask the same question now, there is general acceptance that CAD can be the hub of engineering or architectural informa- tion exchange. If CAD files are becoming more useful around your entire company, what does that say about the CAD manager? At minimum, you should be on the lookout for ways that your CAD manager can help bring departments together. At maximum, you should view your CAD manager as an invaluable resource who can translate CAD jar- gon and technology for the departments in your company and thereby help them make great productivity strides by more fully understanding the technology they can apply. Advice for senior management: Bring your CAD manager into project team kick- off meetings or quality and improvement initiatives. I think you’ll find that your CAD manager can function as a technological common denominator to help you avoid mis- takes and maximize company efficiency by being involved early in the process. Worthy of Your Time If your CAD manager has the potential to provide so many productivity-enhancing functions for your company, what can you do to maximize this resource? Here are a few suggestions: Talk with your CAD manager regularly, and feel free to give career advice. Many times, your CAD manager would love to have career guidance but probably feels you’re too busy to ask. Go ahead and tell your CAD manager what they can do to improve their career because CAD managers get little mentoring. Bring the CAD manager into processes like budgeting and process changes so they can experience more of the managerial aspects of the job. In fact, give them some managerial responsibility, and you may be surprised how willing they are to participate in the process. 16531bapp08.qxd 3/19/07 1:46 PM Page 253 254 AN OPEN LETTER TO SENIOR MANAGEMENT ■ Help the CAD manager enforce CAD Standards. CAD managers try to make things better by creating CAD standards so all users are on the same page, yet they have little or no power to enforce those standards. Send a signal to your CAD manager by helping them enforce standards, and you’ll be rewarded with better financial results! Build business savvy by teaching your CAD manager about your company’s return on investment (ROI) methodologies and staffing philosophies. When you show your CAD manager how they can use CAD to justify monetary invest- ments and work within your staffing plans, you’ll teach them how they can best help your company achieve its goals. Break down the technicality barrier. Speak to your CAD manager in terms of your business expectations, and then listen to what your CAD manager tells you about your software and hardware platforms. If either of you don’t understand the other, then agree to explain yourselves again using plain language. Remem- ber that business language can be just as confusing to the CAD manager as com- puter technobabble can be to senior management. By striving to understand each other, you’ll both gain a better total understanding of your company. In Conclusion I realize that this open letter to management can be taken as an advertisement for the value of CAD management and CAD managers in general—and this enthusiasm is fully intended. As I’ve talked with companies all over the world, I’ve come to believe that the CAD manager is the secret weapon in implementing technology change because the CAD manager is the person who makes the rubber meet the road. Without CAD managers teaching, pushing, persuading, and facilitating techno- logical change in our workplaces, we’d still be on the drafting board. So, I reiterate my core message to senior management: Use your CAD manager, and involve them in making your business better. You’ll be well rewarded for doing so. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at the address below. Thanks for reading! Regards, Robert Green rgreen@cad-manager.com 16531bapp08.qxd 3/19/07 1:46 PM Page 254 255 ■ INDEX Note to the reader: Throughout this index bold- faced page numbers indicate primary discussions of a topic. Italicized page numbers indicate illustrations. Numbers 2D software preferences for, as upgrade objection, 112–113 standard, 55 3D software costs to move to, 114 explaining benefits to management, 113–114 management ambivalence about, 130 migration analyzing, 111–119 time constraints for, 66 objections to, 112–115 prototyping, 130 purchase decisions, 115–116 staffing shortage, 115 64-bit processing support, 172 A Academix Software, AutoTEST Pro, 20 accountants, 121 accuracy, in prioritizing job candidates, 87 ACS Software, AutoEDMS, 207–208 actions for starting project, 149 activated license, 102 Adobe activated license schema, 102 PDF file format, 65, 76, 200 security for, 201 ADSL (asynchronous DSL), 163, 222 advice, asking for, 49 AEC (Architecture/Engineering/Construction) envi- ronments, 235–237 aggregate ROI, 135 air mail, vs. standard mail, 129 allowable deviation from standard, by vendor, 59 Alt+PrtSc key combination, for screen capture, 110 Amazon.com, 193 American Institute of Architects, 53, 54, 55 animations, 67 appearance, standards for uniformity, 69 applications 3D, objections to, 112–115 assessment of, 22–23, 35 audits, 102 budgeting, 117 developer’s guidelines on hardware requirements, 25 expectation of requirements, 39–40 factors in evaluating, 115–116 licensing, 99–102 vs. car lease, 100–101 limitations, 101–102 vs. ownership, 99–100 optimizing performance, 219–226 paying for, with savings, 138 programming skills for customizing, 191–192 purchasing, 102–105 running on network, 165–166 serial number of, 102 standard deployment, 64–65, 65 for testing user skills, 20 types, 220 upgrading, 105–109 barriers, 108 benefits, 106 decision making, 107–108 easing transition, 110–111 and hardware requirements, 168 management expectations for costs, 117 and new methods, 98–99 time table, 118 true costs, 105–106 versions, and outsourcing firm standards, 62 view of CAD manager, 97 for writing training materials, 80 Architecture/Engineering/Construction (AEC) environments, 235–237 archiving materials, 83, 171 Asia outsourcing to, 62 patent and intellectual property rights non- enforcement, 101 assemblies, 119 assessment budgetary, 29–32 of hardware, 23–25 of IT department, 26–29 red flags in, 29 of software, 22–23 of user skills, 18–21 asynchronous DSL (ADSL), 163, 222 ATA disk controllers, 162 attitudinal issues, in user assessment, 21 audits of software, 102 of vendors’ work, 59 authority, 14 asking for, 15 and user behavior, 74 Index 16531bindex.qxd 3/19/07 1:46 PM Page 255 256 INDEX ■ AutoCAD, 112 environment tips, 227–229 profiles for, 229 as single-file system, 220 versions, specifying in standards, 62 Autodesk, 103 Architectural Desktop, 193 DWF Composer, Writer and Viewer, 201 DWF file format, 200 Inventor, 114, 220 Visual Basic customization for, 192 Land Desktop, 193 Mechanical Desktop, 193 mixed environments, 243–245 policy on non-upgradeable releases, 101 Revit, 220 Visual Basic customization for, 192 Autodesk University, 178 AutoEDMS, 207–208 AutoLISP, 192 resources, 193 training in, 193 AutoLISP in Plain English (Head), 193 AutoManager Teamwork, 208 automation, 69 of procedures, 44 standards for, 56 with wizards, 149 AutoTEST Pro (Academix Software), 20 average cost per project, standards and, 57 B backups, local computer and, 164, 223 bad hire avoiding, 85 costs of, 84 value in preventing, 85 bandwidth of LAN connection, 162–163, 222 of WAN connection, 163, 222 benchmarks in bottleneck analysis, 138–139 phase for developing customer relationships, 61 for software upgrade, 105 for verifying time savings estimates, 138–139 big picture, vs. day-to-day environment, 40–41 billable seat of software, 103 blogs for CAD management, 178 books for CAD manager training, 176 on management, 184 for training, 76 bottleneck analysis, 138–140 creating benchmark, 138–139 potential locations, 140 brainstorming, v with peers, 178 branch offices, undercapitalized, 29 brevity of standards, 53 budget meetings, finding disconnects, 31–32 budgeting, 122–126 assessment, 29–32 changing parameters, 123–125 disciplined approach, 125–126 expectations in assessment, 32 gathering information, 123 for hardware, 25 documentation to support, 24 managing perception, 122–123 as ongoing process, 182 prioritization of projects, ROI for setting, 138 for software, 117 tracking projections, 125 bugs in software upgrades, 131 software upgrades to reduce, 106 building information models, as intellectual prop- erty, 197 business metrics, 12 Business Software Alliance (BSA), 102 C cable modems, 163 CAD files data in, 171 as intellectual property, 197 size of, 28 CAD manager balancing tasks and perspectives, 9–11 simplifying equation, 9–10 budgeting for professional development, 123 business angle on tasks, 11–13 from CAD users’ perspective, 6–7 costs for software upgrade support, 105–106 critical path of, 43 emphasis on understanding management needs, 43 gaining power, 14–15 general truths, 16 involvement with IT department, 160 from management perspective, 7–8 mission, i–ii responsibilities, 1–2 importance of analyzing, 5 selling yourself, 185–194 documenting ROI, 189–190 effective reporting, 188–189 maximizing ROI, 190 speaking quality, 186–187 value of weekly report, 188 writing quality, 185–186 skills basics, 173–174 efficiency in learning, 175–179 learning style, 174–175 learning what to manage, 179–182 management style, 183–185 programming, 191–192 tracking, 182 16531bindex.qxd 3/19/07 1:46 PM Page 256 257 ■ INDEX tasks overview, 2–5 real tasks, 3–5, 4 senior management understanding of, 42 cad-manager.com, 177 CAD standards for 2D/3D processes, 68 assessment, 32–35 absence of shortcuts, 34 CAD manager responsibility for, 52 client, 60–62, 61 connecting training with, 79 consistency from, 44 enforcement via management, 68–70 existing, 53, 54–56 explaining to management, 44–45 explaining values to users, 54 fixing, 80 formulaic approach to change, 33, 33 formulating and writing, 52–54 help from management for enforcing, 69–70 information exchange with, 56–57 management tasks for, 3–4 objectives for, 53 problems from absence, 45 signed approval by management, 54 specifying software versions in, 62 user noncompliance with, 94–95 value of, 51 vendor control via, 57–59, 58 CAD users balancing needs with company business needs, 66 CAD standards written for, 53 complaints about passwords, 199 connection speed for login, 64 contributions from all for process documenta- tion, 149 cost of wasted time from hardware performance issues, 169 delegating to, 181 gaining support for plan from, 156–157 handling renegade, 93–95 limits to number supported by EDM, 207–208 objections to 3D software transition, 119 obstinate, 95 perspective on manager, 6–7 problems from lack of support for plan, 155, 156 questions from, and training needs, 79 selling on long-term plan, 154–155 shortage for 3D software, 115 standardized tool palettes for, 135 tracking number simultaneously logged, 104 training, as upgrade cost, 106 Undo function to learn about, 87 wants vs. company needs, 42–44 and critical path needs, 43 willingness to accept upgrade, 108 CAD workstation, in computing system, 162 Cadalyst magazine, 111 cadalyst.com, 177 CADLock CADVault, 201 calculation files, as intellectual property, 197 Camtasia Studio, 80, 81, 83 capital items, budgeting for, 124–125 car lease, vs. software license, 100–101 CATIA files (Dassault Systémes), security for, 201 CDs for CAD manager training, 176 for interactive instruction, 75 cell phones, 82 central corporate network, minimizing risk, 198 change managing in budgeting, 123–125 in processes from software deployment, 66–67 check in/check out methodologies for files, 164 China outsourcing to, 62 patent and intellectual property rights non-enforcement, 101 civil engineering systems, 239–241 as intellectual property, 197 classroom training, 74–75 for CAD manager, 175 on Visual Basic, 194 client standards, 60–62, 61 collaboration and data storage locations, 223 tools for EDM systems, 210–211 costs, 214 using Internet, 30 collaborative-mode systems, 220 for AEC-focused CAD systems, 236 for civil engineering systems, 240 for manufacturing-focused CAD systems, 232 for running software, 225–226 for SolidWorks-focused CAD systems, 248 colors, including standards in template, 53 communication with management, 38 on 3D software purchase, 116 with reports, 46–48 standards to aid, 56 technology vs. process, 44 companies needs vs. user wants, 42–44 vs. users’ CAD needs, 66 questions on growth, 30 size of, and CAD manager need for IT knowl- edge, 161 understanding purpose, 185 user understanding of standards, 18 compatibility with partners, after software upgrade, 106 competency, as power user motivation, 91 complaints from users, 29 complexity basis, for prioritizing ideas, 146–147 compliance with standards, management support for, 69 16531bindex.qxd 3/19/07 1:46 PM Page 257 [...]... licensing, 99 102 vs car lease, 100 101 limitations, 101 102 vs ownership, 99 100 optimizing performance, 219–226 paying for, with savings, 138 programming skills for customizing, 191–192 purchasing, 102 105 running on network, 165–166 serial number of, 102 standard deployment, 64–65, 65 for testing user skills, 20 types, 220 upgrading, 105 109 barriers, 108 benefits, 106 decision making, 107 108 easing... standards and, 57 U S National CAD Standard, 53, 54, 55 Universal Naming Convention (UNC), 206 upgrading software, 105 109 barriers, 108 benefits, 106 decision making, 107 108 easing transition, 110 111 time table, 118 and training, 108 , 109 true costs, 105 106 upload speeds, for DSL, 163 upper management communicating with, 111 on 3D software purchase, 116 debunking the myths, 39–41 expectations,... for each individual program in the About the CD-ROM appendix of this Book or on the Software Media These limitations are also contained in the individual license agreements recorded on the Software Media These limitations may include a requirement that after using the program for a 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184 Welch, Suzy, Winning: The Answers: Confronting 74 of the Toughest Questions in Business Today, 184 white-board method for documenting processes, 149 for process improvement, 34 wide-area electronic document management, 171 Windows 95, upgrades, 171 Windows Explorer-style interfaces for EDM systems, 209– 210 costs, 214 Windows Vista, 172 Winning: The. .. and conditions, promptly return the Book and the unopened software packet(s) to the place you obtained them for a full refund 1 License Grant WPI grants to you (either an individual or entity) a nonexclusive license to use one copy of the enclosed software program(s) (collectively, the “Software,” solely for your own personal or business purposes on a single computer (whether a standard computer or a... 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LETTER TO SENIOR MANAGEMENT ■ Help the CAD manager enforce CAD Standards. CAD managers try to make things better by creating CAD standards so all users are on the same page, yet they have little. 165–166 serial number of, 102 standard deployment, 64–65, 65 for testing user skills, 20 types, 220 upgrading, 105 109 barriers, 108 benefits, 106 decision making, 107 108 easing transition, 110 111 and hardware