CAD Management Services
CAD Management services, as formulated by the consultancy, address three areas:
- Practice Management,
- Information Systems (IS), and
- CAD.
Each one forms a pre-requisite for the next. The appropriate organizational changes in Practice Management are required for the principled operation of IS which, in turn, is essential for the effective use of CAD. The reason behind this sequence is founded on research1 suggesting that IS doesn't lead inadvertently to increased productivity, but rather forms part of a wider set of organizational changes that brings about this result.
Very briefly: Practice Management incorporates training in CAD and CAD Management; both IS and CAD services are concerned with the entire life-cycle of their respective subjects; and, in CAD services, central role is reserved for the development of a CAD Standard.
1 Compare, for example, these two positions. (a) "Clearly, investing money in technology is not a guarantee of enjoying its benefits. Only thoughtful planning, committed management, well-trained staff, informed purchasing, and a continuing reevaluation of methods of practice help ensure a positive impact. The 'true' automation success stories invariably are told by those who have a good grasp of these issues." HAVILAND, DAVID (ed), 1998, The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, The American Institute of Architects Press, Washington, D.C. And (b) "Computerization does not automatically increase productivity, but it is an essential component of a broader system of organizational changes which does." BRYNJOLFSSON, ERIK AND LORIN M. HITT, 1998, "Beyond the Productivity Paradox: Computers are the Catalyst for Bigger Changes".
Last modified: 2008-12-05
