A new survey of British A/E firms finds that most firms are relying heavily on their CAD Managers to solve problems and manage workflows that in times past would have been the responsibility of other job titles.
The UK CAD Managers Survey 2007 from Evolve Consultancy received responses representing 3.7% of A/E firms in the UK with a staff of at least 30 employees. Evolve uses the data to, in its words, “present a clear and honest picture of the CAD Manager's role in the UK AEC industry.”
The published survey results, available for £199 per copy direct from Evolve, includes a “summary and actions” list with these recommendations:
- There is a shortage of CAD Managers and CAD support staff
- CAD Managers need professional recognition and formal qualifications
- CAD Managers need to make better use of peer networks
- A/E firms waste an average of up to £90,000 annually in under-used CAD support and licensing subscriptions
- A/E firms need a specific migration strategy for the move to Building Information Modeling
- Most CAD managers would rather turn to another CAD Manager for technical support than contact the CAD vendor
- Many companies are operating at a high level of risk with regard to CAD data
- There is an overriding opinion that “vendor approved” CAD training is no longer the most suitable
More information and a link to order the full report is available at the
Evolve Consultancy website.
--RSN