Challenge planning for SOLIDWORKS customers is a key a part of any CAD workflow. Easy or elaborate, venture planning how your 3D CAD tasks will develop into shippable, billable, manufacturable items and providers is essential to operating an actual enterprise, proper?
A humorous half about that is that every of us have drastically alternative ways of venture planning. Typically, this relies on firm/trade requirements or practices. Different instances, it relies on the scope of a venture, or particular person preferences.
To talk personally: I don’t plan all of my tasks the identical approach, if I’m being trustworthy. Over time, I’ve loaded my private toolkit with a number of approaches to venture monitoring and administration, and I often wind up selecting whichever strategy feels most pure for the duty at hand.
Challenge planning: what SOLIDWORKS Champions actually suppose
Challenge planning doesn’t should be laborious – and actually, it shouldn’t be. And it must be additive to your work and processes. However what does that basically imply, anyway? What is taken into account ‘additive’ to the work and processes of SOLIDWORKS customers in terms of venture planning?
A little bit bit about me: I run a lot of our livestreaming packages right here at SOLIDWORKS. It’s possible you’ll be accustomed to sequence like SOLIDWORKS LIVE and LIVE Design (and in case you are, I hope you’ve loved them!) – that’s an enormous a part of how I attempt to convey worth to the group in the present day.
One other factor I occurred to do whereas on the SOLIDWORKS crew in a earlier function is launch the SOLIDWORKS Champions Program. Right this moment, this program spans 60+ international locations and is residence to lots of of the perfect/brightest SOLIDWORKS trade customers.
On my present crew, we’re answerable for a lot of the technical content material (how-to’s, product introduction supplies, and extra) that you simply see popping up on the SOLIDWORKS YouTube channel. This yr, as I appeared to create a ‘first look’ video at an online app that will probably be new to a few of you (Challenge Planner), I believed: what’s additive to the venture planning of Champions?
So, I did a loopy factor. I requested!
Instance: Many SOLIDWORKS Champions are reportedly utilizing e-mail as a main methodology of speaking change request suggestions in the present day.
Now, earlier than I get into some numbers and figures under, I wish to make clear: whereas these figures are ‘actual,’ they don’t mirror the opinions or practices of ‘all’ Champions. They mirror the opinions and practices of respondents from the SOLIDWORKS Champions Program. So relaxation assured, respondents have been a number of the most concerned trade customers within the SOLIDWORKS group. Solutions in daring point out highest response charge.
Which software(s) does your organization use to handle tasks and deliverables?
- On-premise non-spreadsheet software program | 21%
- Internet-based instruments | 7%
- Spreadsheet-based instruments | 48%
- Different | 21%
Do you employ cell apps to trace your tasks/deliverables?
Is your design information someway tied to the venture/deliverable administration software(s) you might be utilizing?
Do you contemplate it useful on your design information to get tagged or hooked up to duties you’ve been assigned to finish or overview?
- Sure – figuring out which file(s) a activity or venture pertains to could be nice | 100%
- No – this simply doesn’t appear to matter that a lot for us | 0%
Which of the next do you continue to end up doing at your organization in a time-wasting capability?
- Challenge replace conferences/calls | 27%
- Texts/emails/calls asking for or exchanging updates | 38%
- Individuals utilizing completely different methods, inevitably losing time | 35%
How do your colleagues request modifications?
- E-mail | 38%
- Fill out kind | 16%
- Telephone name | 18%
- With PDM/PLM system performance | 20%
- Different | 8%
So, what did this all imply for me/us?
Firstly, I used to be deeply appreciative to get the suggestions. A few of it stunned me. A few of it didn’t. I’m positive you’ll really feel the identical. However secondly, these insights modified my pondering and definitely influenced the voice of the story and easy use instances you’ll be able to see under.
As I discussed earlier: venture planning shouldn’t be laborious or sophisticated. And with a software just like the one you’ll see within the video embedded right here, which hooks proper into SOLIDWORKS, it doesn’t should be obtrusive. And it’ll can help you drop issues like pesky emails/requires updates in change for one thing a bit extra autonomous and fewer time-consuming. 🙂
As an Business Course of Advisor, Sean’s function is to assist amplify the ‘better of’ each our merchandise and our group, through the tales we showcase on our livestreaming packages (like SOLIDWORKS LIVE) and different digital retailers. Sean can be the creator of each the SOLIDWORKS Champions Program and the SOLIDWORKS Influencer Program.
