AUGIWorld Magazine - May/June 2008 - (Page 5)

• • • • • not use email to respond to conflicts. Do not manage via email. If it takes more than three or four exchanges of emails, take it offline. Instant Messaging. Good for quick, short exchanges of information. Does your company use it? IM is suitable for quick bursts of information that are targeted to one person at a time. IM is not a “chat” room. It is using technology for a business purpose. If you can get an answer “instantly,” then there is no need to slow things down. Websites. Posting on an intranet is used by most firms by now. It is a repository of information that is accessible by all within your firm. Posting CAD Standards in a searchable format helps more than just posting a PDF of the doc. An internal forum or discussion group may help also—as long as people use it. Meetings. Good for groups and getting decisions made. Getting everyone in the same room at one time is perhaps the best way to keep things moving. Make sure that everyone has necessary information before the meeting and that people know it is important to review the information prior to the meeting— not at the meeting. This is particularly important if decisions will be made during the meeting. Don’t let non-attendees slow things down. If they miss a meeting, the progress continues without them. They could also send a representative who can make decisions for them. If key decision-makers cannot attend, then consider rescheduling. The Phone. A great tool for those who cannot get together face to face. Call and discuss the areas that need to be reviewed if it takes more than a few paragraphs in an email. If there are too many decisions to be made for email, then call. If there is going to be some back and forth discussion – call. If you have to leave a message, make sure it includes the topic you need to discuss and your timeline. If you are returning someone’s call, do it promptly. If you have to leave a return message, then add something to the conversation. Don’t just say “Tag, you’re it!”—move the conversation forward by adding some information or even a clarifying question. Face to Face. This is the best method of communication, but not always the easiest to do. By far, looking someone in the eye when trying to convey information is the oldest and best method. I am convinced that those of us who work in a technology field need to master the art of conversation. The give and take and nuances of decision making are best done in the same room. Don’t hide behind technology. Get out of your chair and go talk to the person. Communicating through listening at all. Direct contact via face-to-face meetings is the best. The more we let technology influence our workflow the more we need that human touch to keep conversations moving. Mark W. Kiker is a member-at-large on the AUGI Board of Directors. Mark is a National CAD Standards Project Team Member and team member of the National BIM Standard. He is the General Editor of BLAUGI and also publishes caddmanager.com, the CADD Managers Journal, and the caddmanager.com blog. He is a returning faculty member at Autodesk University. He is currently Chief Information Officer for HMC Architects in Ontario, California. Don’t forget to be a good listener. Listening to and understanding the other person’s perspective is the best way to communicate in a manner that will be appreciated and heard. You will know if the person is ready for what you have to say. You will know that he or she has heard you. You will know the context or focus of the conversation and how best to respond. Improving your listening skills will help others hear what you have to say. All in all, just about any communication method is better than no communication Seven distribution centers nationwide Industry experienced customer service Next business day shipping Easy online ordering For quick and easy CAD-related orders, go with a supplier who knows their cursor from their chamfer. Call MasterGraphics. We have more than 3,000 products, from bond paper, toner, and inkjet cartridges for all brands of printers and plotters including Xerox, HP and Océ, to quality drafting supplies and furniture. Trust us to understand your needs. Your equipment. And most importantly, your language. MasterGraphics | Making Design Data Work To order, visit our online store at http://estore.masterg.com/augi or call (800) 873.7238 today. (800) 873.7238 http://estore.masterg.com/augi M a y/ J u n 2 0 0 8 5 http://caddmanager.com http://caddmanager.com http://caddmanager.com http://estore.masterg.com/augi

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AUGIWorld Magazine - May/June 2008

AUGIWorld Magazine - May/June 2008 Table of Contents The CAD Manager From Drawing to Display: The Value of Autodesk Impression Designing for Auto-Dimensioning The Proof Is in the Footing Managing Customization and Profiles Getting to Know the Display Manager What's Cooking at Autodesk Labs? On the Back Page

AUGIWorld Magazine - May/June 2008

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