Just Do It
In the past few years of consulting with firms investigating an implementation of Civil 3D, one thing has become clear. Too often the task seems overwhelming and it’s become too easy to simply give up and fall back into a comfort zone.
When I began to work with DCA (later Softdesk, and finally Land Desktop), I started with one thing I found painful – labelling lines. I was blown away by the fact that DCA could label lines for me automatically. As a matter of fact, that was my first job – labels, notes, text, dimensions.
My mentor (and I think every new hire should have one) created the drawings, I did the labels. when I *thought* I had completed the task, I sat with my mentor to study my digital files. Eventually, I was comfortable with labels and bored to tears; I wanted to draw the lines myself.
That was my next task – linework. Now keep in mind, I was well versed in AutoCAD at the time, but DCA offered what I thought were sweet options: Line by Direction, Line by Deflection, Line by Turned Angle, etc. I could draw the lines – I could use the commands, but the first time I had to plot a legal description, it actually gave meaning to the commands. So now I had a couple chores – draw AND label – “Wow!” I thought, “I need a raise!” Next I tackled parcels, and moved to subdivisions in no time.
I was comfortable getting in and out of the software, felt I knew my way around. I knew the ramifications of the decisions I’d make during production, and I needed something new – Terrain modelling. I had created contours on the board; in fact I felt I had plenty of stick time under my belt. But learning to model terrain in a digital world was a new ball game. Slowly but surely though, the tools I had at my disposal made sense. Not only could I maneuver my way around the software, but I knew how to react in the event I came across an unusual situation – I had learned to think outside the box.
The start of a Civil 3D implementation can be as simple as learning to create labels:
1. How do labels work and how do I modify them?
2. What happens if I explode them?
3. Can I create a line and curve table?
4. What happens if I “Export to AutoCAD?”
Tackle the simple things first. Steer clear of the things that won’t make you money, embrace the things that will – but expect change. The software will change, industry requirements will change, people will change. What works for you today, may not work tomorrow – remember how to get back to the way you did it yesterday, but keep looking toward tomorrow. Perhaps most importantly – share what you’ve learned with your team. In a struggling economy, there is nothing to be gained by keeping your tricks to yourself.
Implementing Civil 3D is a process. And sometimes that process begins with the most mundane of tasks. Be realistic with your goals, minimize your immediate downtime and look for immediate profitability. Stay optimistic, focus on what you can do now, and maintain your passion.
As Carol Bartz once said, “You don’t have to build a scaffold around an apple tree to bear the fruit – shake the tree.”
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