AUTODESK CIVIL 3D CAD MANAGER’S GUIDE
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The success of this project is based on the metrics you set in the original assessment
stage. You learned then how your users, peers, and superiors would measure success
and can now use their scale to judge your project. If there were problems, be honest
about them, document them, and start planning how to resolve them.
In addition to troubleshooting, it’s also time to start the cycle over, with refinement in mind.
What areas are users having trouble with? What opportunities exist for customization of
tools to deliver greater productivity? What tasks can be made simpler? These questions
lead you to the ongoing training that should be a part of using Civil 3D in a real-world
environment. There are always new ways to use the tools and areas of the program that
your users haven’t gotten into yet but will want to. Ongoing training creates an
atmosphere of learning, keeping users up to date and leading to higher productivity.
Now that you’ve outlined the steps of deployment, the next section considers some ways
to get there.
Outside Assistance
The addition of any new technology to a firm’s infrastructure should include research,
planning, documentation, troubleshooting, and training. In the case of Civil 3D, bringing in
outside help can reduce the burden on CAD managers still trying to maintain productivity
as they prepare for a significant change in design software. In addition, more experienced
implementation experts can reduce the opportunity cost by limiting downtime and
accelerating deployment and learning time. There are two main sources for outside
assistance: Implementation Certified Experts (ICE) in the reseller channel, and
independent professional consultants.
Implementation Certified Experts
The ICE program is a four-day classroom training developed by Autodesk to train reseller
Application Engineers (AEs) in the full gamut of issues presented in this primer. These
classes were developed by industry leaders with real-world experience to train AEs to
help CAD managers implement Civil 3D. Your reseller should have ICE AEs on staff,
trained in the four-phase implementation approach. The ICE should be able to examine
your firm from top to bottom, ask the right questions, give you clear answers, and address
the concerns of your organization’s management.
Professional Consultants
Professional consultants are typically longtime users and CAD managers who have
decided to build a career on their technical expertise. The best of these consultants are
licensed in their field (PE or AIA) and have spent many years in industry. Their licensure
gives them a level of credibility in the eyes of senior management that a technician turned
Application Engineer simply doesn’t have. Licensed or not, the consultant you choose
should have solid references, connections with known industry leaders, and experience in
training. A consultant who regularly teaches at Autodesk University, for example, will have
the experience and skills to deliver the training and knowledge your deployment requires.
