Datasheet

■ OVERVIEW OF TASKS

• Preparing budgets

• Writing CAD standards

• Performing staff development and review

• Identifying promising new technology

If you have functioned as a CAD Manager for any length of time, you’re aware

of these kinds of tasks. You’ve probably been confronted with many of them and have

some degree of comfort in dealing with them. The reason that I like to define the tasks

involved with a CAD management job is so you have a list down on paper and you

have a tangible job description to go by.

By documenting your tasks in list form, you can build a game plan for how you’ll

handle those tasks. The more you think about defining your task list, the more likely

you are to come up with good methodologies, standards, and processes to help you

achieve those tasks. Conversely, if you don’t define your task list and think about the

best way to approach it, you’ll inevitably be surprised by unexpected tasks. Being sur-

prised puts you into reactive mode, where you lose control of your work environment.

The Real Tasks

For every task on your CAD management list, at least one and possibly many more

real tasks lurk in the background, and only you can identify them. What do I mean by

this? That’s a reasonable question—one best answered by example. I’ll use the topic of

CAD standards to illustrate the point, because almost all CAD managers have this

responsibility.

The perceived task Let’s say that your management expects you to manage CAD

standards, and so they’ve placed a task called “maintain CAD standards” in your job

description. Simple enough—or at least, that’s what your management thinks.

The real tasks As a CAD manager, you know that maintaining CAD standards

includes at least the following real tasks:

• Define CAD standards.

• Document CAD standards.

• Train users to follow CAD standards.

• Deal with those who don’t follow standards.

Note: Take some time to write down your task list while the concepts are fresh in your mind.You can use

the TASKLIST.XLS spreadsheet file provided with the book to capture your task list electronically.

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