AUTODESK CIVIL 3D CAD MANAGER’S GUIDE
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simplicity, this document refers to all of these team members as consultants.) This
approach works best when a well-defined CAD standards system is already in place,
enabling the CAD manager to instruct the consultant to base the styles on an existing
body of work. In cases where a firm has typical plan sheets that can be used as reference
material, this process is even simpler. Outside consultants have generally mastered
styles, helping to ensure that template creation is a not a delaying factor in the
implementation. Their experience also enables them to create more complicated styles
and make the styles closely match existing layering and display standards.
Complications from using consultants can include a lack of institutional control, poor-
quality deliverables, and miscommunication of desired deliverables. In the case of only
loosely defined CAD standards, it can be difficult to achieve a satisfactory template
because the consultant must simply guess or assume your needs. In this case, the work
might be more efficiently performed in-house.
The Do-It-Yourself Approach
Performing the work yourself is the best way to learn the program, but not necessarily the
most efficient. If your firm wants you to be a guru, however, this is the way to proceed. By
building styles, you develop a series of styles that match your standards with no chance
for miscommunication, you learn the minutiae of the Civil 3D interface to be a better
technical resource, and you create a complete body of work for your end users. Another
ancillary benefit of creating styles is the power of standardization that comes from creating
a complete palette of styles.
The obvious drawback is opportunity cost, which should be considered before you decide
to create styles for your firm. The time involved is significant, and the learning time can be
lengthy. Creating styles for things such as profile vertical curves or sanitary sewer
manholes is complicated, and typically requires several iterations to achieve the desired
result. Many CAD managers have taken on this task only to get too bogged down to make
good progress.
Combo: You work with Consultant
One approach that has been successful is a combination of these two methods. While not
leaving the entire template creation to a consultant, neither should you do it all yourself.
By bringing in a qualified consultant for training and implementation work, you get the best
of both worlds. Ask your consultant to work with you and your team to make the first few
styles that your training or pilot project will use. Make these styles with the consultant’s
guidance so you understand how styles are built and edited. Then, give the rest of the
styles creation work to a consultant and reap the benefits of expert-level efficiency and
knowledge of the software.
It’s important to understand that your styles collection will be organic, changing and
growing as standards change. Every project requires at least one or two new styles to be
created or modified. Users should have the basic knowledge to modify styles, but the CAD
manager should be in charge of maintaining the template that new drawings are created
from. With the knowledge you acquire during the initial training, you can manage and edit
styles as needed and be ready to create new styles to address future needs.
Managing Styles and Templates
Standards and styles go hand in hand. Many firms use Civil 3D styles as a convenient and
practical point in their CAD standardization process to bring order out of chaos.
