AUGIWorld Magazine November/December 2007

software vendors offer these websites in some form. Blogs have become our twominute news and update wire for our personal and professional learning space. If you’re new to blogs, you may want to check out www.autodesk.com/blogs for productspecific news. Users search for the expert. The other form of informal learning that continues to grow is often known as “the grapevine” approach. Every organization has closely knit communities of practice within every department. Since this network was historically not controlled, many companies until recently ignored or even discouraged its existence. The easiest way to control and encourage these communities is to sponsor them within the corporation itself. Tips and techniques with a “brown-bag” lunch or a “meet-the-expert” day are some examples of how organizations are now formally tapping into what used to be an informal, ineffective learning method. Users want mentoring. Mentoring comes in a variety of forms, such as on-thejob training, apprenticeships, job shadowing, internships, coaching, and many more. The protégé or mentoree is paired with a more experienced person who will teach, coach, counsel, sponsor, and encourage. Nowadays, mentoring may provide both professional and personal support and often takes place outside of a manager/employee relationship. Mentoring provides an opportunity for improved performance as there is a higher relevancy of knowledge and skills. Users are learning bits of information from multiple informal sources, including networking with other professionals. Informal learning has always coexisted with formal learning and will continue to do so. With the maturation of users and the advent of collaboration technologies, informal learning can become a powerful part of becoming more productive. You can provide the most value to your colleagues and yourself if you know the right people, the right stuff, and the right things to do. It’s all a matter of learning, but it’s not the sort of learning one gets from the traditional training classrooms. At work, we learn more in the break room than in the classroom. We discover how to do our jobs through informal learning—observing others, asking the person in the next cubicle, calling the help desk, trial and error, and simply working with people in the know. Informal learning is effective because it is personal. The individual calls the shots. Users decide what they want to learn, and take steps to learn it. In informal learning, the learner is responsible. Nov/Dec 2007 Blending your learning So does this mean the end of classroom training? Absolutely not! No one class, person, or trainer has all the answers, just as no one training or learning method will make you an expert. Yet events such as Autodesk University (www.autodesk.com/au), AUGI CAD Camps (www.cadcamp.com), and AUGI CAD Matinees (www.cadmatinees.com) address all of these methods. They are not just applicable, instant and relevant learning events; they are also networking events with users and experts. The answer you’re looking for may be in the mind of the person you’re sitting next to. Just as technology has changed over the years it is time to change the way you learn as well. Think about what you want to know and chart a course to become a proactive learning opportunist. The rules for learning have changed, and we have to change our mindsets to embrace this exciting paradigm shift. Until next time, don’t close that new dialog box! Matt Murphy is content manager for AUGI CAD Camp and has served as Chair of the Autodesk Training Center Advisory Board (ATCAB) and Executive Committee (ATCEC). Matt is also an Autodesk Approved Instructor (AAI) and a Certified Technical Trainer (CTT). He has received numerous instructional awards, including the ATC Eastern Regional Instructor of the year for 2004 and top Autodesk University Speaker in a large session for 2006. 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 | Single Source. Endless Possibilities.™ To order, visit our online store at www.masterg.com/augi or call (800) 873.7238 today. (800) 873.7238 • www.masterg.com/augi 7 http://www.autodesk.com/blogs http://www.autodesk.com/au http://www.cadcamp.com http://www.cadmatinees.com http://www.masterg.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AUGIWorld Magazine November/December 2007

AUGIWorld Magazine November/December 2007 Table of Contents The CAD Manager Education & Training Finance Training Google Earth: Now Showing in AutoCAD Civil 3D Get Your Input Here A Good First Impression, Part 2 Share and Share Alike Who's Using Revit MEP? Ready… Get Set… Properties! On the Back Page: The Brazilian Model

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.