Training is the most
important step for the successful implementation of a CAD system.
For new installations,
personnel selection and training success is critical because setbacks
may be very hard to
overcome. Emphasis should be placed on building a solid level of
user expertise and
confidence rather than production goals that will be difficult to
achieve.
After initial system
set-up and training, productivity should pick up and will probably
approximate the production
levels existing before CAD was introduced. However, many
times setbacks caused by
loss of data, operator errors or lack of proficiency will clobber
productivity and frustrate
management and the users. Causes of these setbacks must be
determined and corrected.
Each problem encountered should be used to represent a selfteaching
opportunity.
Operators have the
tendency to use familiar commands instead of trying to learn new and
faster ways to do their
work. The task will usually fall on the manager to identify
operations that can be
accomplished more productively and to research and develop new
methods to be used.
Training should include:
>Initial training for new
operators as well as on-going training for experienced users
>Cross-training within the
group. It is particularly important that all CAD personnel
help new members of the
group learn efficient techniques and procedures
>Regular meetings for the
purpose of demonstrating new commands, programs,
menus, or other
time-saving techniques
>Documentation of specific
programs and procedures to enable the personnel to find
and use them easily
>Personnel must develop
their own problem-solving abilities. Therefore they must be
assigned challenging
responsibilities.
As training is not just a
one-time activity, we provide the following checklist of training
activities:
>Every new user must be
given a regular course of instruction in how to use CAD
software. A user moving
from 2D to 3D must also receive a course. Courses can be
bought from the vendors
or, in case of large companies, they can take place in-house.
>Training must be provided
with new releases. Usually this is a short training (one
day the most)
>The team must hold
productivity meetings at least every two weeks, where new
procedures, bugs, etc. can
be discussed
>Develop WEB site for each
CAD SW brand. On it post
>Company procedures
>Answers to frequently
asked questions
>Ways to overcome known
software bugs
>Bug reporting form
>Attend user group meeting
and have a report from them
>One person must be
assigned to develop and document design-automation tools
specific to company
procedures
>Budget for training and productivity-building
activities.
