Dialog Box January 2005

15 Jan, 2005 By: Cadalyst Staff Cadalyst

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CAD manager column
I just finished reading the CAD manager column on performance evaluations in the September 2004 issue, and would like to add a comment or two. I've been in the drafting and CAD field for more than 25 years, and one thing that I've discovered about this field is this--it helps a lot if you enjoy drawing! This sounds like a minor issue, but if someone is expected to work at a screen (or table, for us dinosaurs) for hours and weeks and years on end and have a productive output, the love of the tedium must be present. Also, a desire or inclination to be informative, illustrative and explanatory is a trait that can help a CAD operator as drawings are produced and information is presented. This includes an almost instinctive ability to discern which sections and views best illustrate a situation, and the talent and vision to put it in a drawing so as to be clear and not confusing to the viewer, whether the engineer or contractor. Through the years, we've had many CAD people come and go, and the ones who were the most productive and most informative were those who enjoyed the process of drawing and were driven to make their drawings clear, concise and complete. I'm not sure how to consider grading or appraising someone on these characteristics, but the benefits would be worth the exploration.

— Richard Lowry, via Internet

About the Author: Cadalyst Staff

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