AUTODESK CIVIL 3D CAD MANAGER’S GUIDE
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make sure they understand what demands Civil 3D will place on the infrastructure. By
doing so, you improve your chance of a smooth deployment. Discuss any RAM, video, or
other hardware upgrades with that group. Once infrastructure issues have been
addressed, you must also plan on how to deal with requests for Civil 3D drawings from
other users, internal and external to your organization. This can include making object
enablers available, or simply being sure to cover the Export to AutoCAD functions during
training.
In addition, consider any file management issues you found during the assessment;
security concerns and how you will maintain privileges for users who can modify your
templates, and which users those will be; what to do with current project files; and whether
and how you will port existing data to Civil 3D.
Finally, planning how Civil 3D will work in your environment is a major component of a
complete deployment. Consider how the creation of templates and styles will be
accomplished; the workflow of Civil 3D data; and how to approach training for all users.
These Civil 3D–specific tasks are the most challenging, but there are many resources
available to help you take them on and make your plan complete.
Solve
After reviewing the current state of your firm and planning for your Civil 3D deployment, it
is time to put your work to the test. It is important to take the same methodical approach to
the solving phase as you have in earlier work.
Begin with a punch list that includes the work done to date as well as the major milestones
to come. Some of the items on your list will be installation, training, customization,
meetings with key personnel (both behind-the-scenes users and end users) and follow-up.
A punch list makes it easy to stay on track and review your progress. In addition, it’s a
clear display of your commitment to the project.
Next, consider the resources you need to complete those tasks, and where you will find
those resources. It’s important that you decide what should and must be done by you or
members of your firm, and what could possibly be outsourced, working with a value-added
reseller (VAR) or consultant to make the punch list more manageable. Many of the
customization and configuration tasks can be done off site and are easily delegated to
other team members. In-house tasks typically include backup plans, network optimization,
hardware upgrades, and data migration.
Now that you’re almost ready to put the software into use, it’s time to train your users. The
importance of this step cannot be emphasized enough. Whether you use an in-house
professional, your reseller, or a qualified consultant, good training is essential. The best
trainers are enthusiastic about the product, knowledgeable, helpful, and know where to
look for answers to questions they can’t answer themselves. Their enthusiasm and
knowledge can infect your users and make their transition to Civil 3D much easier.
Finally, keep up with your project. Maintain your schedule and punch list. Make notes of
deviations and why you changed from the original plan. Document your work so that your
users and your firm understand what has happened within the system and can follow your
work.
Confirm
You should now look back at your implementation and review your work critically. Have
you succeeded? Are end users working in production efficiently? What course corrections
are necessary?
