“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?” – Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
Sometimes it seems that the ideals, visions, and goals of senior management are intricate and incomprehensible compared to those held by CAD management. However, it is not the end goal that is
different; it is the justification of which road will best lead there that differs. Profitability is the overarching goal after all.
As CAD manager/users we choose the route of productivity. We leverage productivity via standardization, accuracy, leadership, teamwork and innovative technology. Productivity means on-time, within-budget desirable deliverables. This, in turn, leads to increased profits. On the other side of the “looking glass”, senior management chooses the billable production route. Billability means timely production with minimal overhead. This, in turn, results in profit. Understanding the justification of which path to follow can help us CAD users and managers to demonstrate the value of a managed CAD environment to those who in their “madness” continue only to see it as overhead.
Let’s venture down the rabbit hole, to understand how and where the paths of senior management and CAD management converge, leading to the place of profitable goal realization.
| Overarching Goal: ProfitIt should not be surprising that at the core lies the goal of increased profitability. Senior managers are driven by financial success. All further objectives result in this measurable outcome.CAD Managed Solution: Demonstrating the time and cost savings that the efforts of managing a CAD environment procure is necessary in communicating its necessity and value to senior management. Keep this in mind through each objective noted. | |
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Objectives |
CAD Managed Solution |
| Project Delivery with the Least Overhead:Return on Investment (ROI) is just that – the return must outweigh what was invested in order to increase profit margins. This idea is at the core of all decisions made by senior management. | A managed CAD environment allows for standardization while keeping users billable and in production, which in turn results in project delivery with the least time invested with the fewest staff possible. |
| Timely Project Completion:The speed-to-market philosophy is ingrained in the minds of senior management. Time means money; so the quicker projects are completed, the less overhead invested and the more satisfied the client. | A managed CAD environment allows for efficient workflows in the design process and the smooth implementation of standards. It prevents snags and user error that can result in timely problem solving, rework, and lost revenue. |
Continue Reading in Part 2…
However, if you are feeling that the time is now, “to talk of many things: Of software and standards – and workflow gaps – of CAD managers and kings” after reading this part and simply cannot wait until Part II, feel free to gather more advice and learn about our CAD Managed Service opportunities by visiting www.EnvisionCAD.com or calling us at 608.836.3903.