20 Traits of an Awesome CAD/BIM/Tech Manager

February 9, 2016

AEC Magazine recently featured four of the top Autodesk University (AU) online classes that help CAD managers stay ahead of their ever-changing field. One of these classes – Becoming an Awesome CAD/BIM/Tech Manager – is actually about “you” and not the technology you use. After all, as a manager you’re a people person now, not just a tech user, and that requires becoming a better “you”!

Moving beyond the tech skills, this is a great class for anyone looking to uncover the key character traits and skills that all managers must develop, plus how to discover your areas of strength and build on them.

Hosted by Mark Kiker, IT Director for SIATech Inc, editor of caddmanager.com and bimmanager.com and author of the monthly CAD Manager column for AUGI World magazine, this one-hour class is free and well worth you checking out.

By way of a quick summary, here are the 20 key character traits that Kiker identifies as key to becoming an awesome CAD/BIM/Tech Manager:

1. You’re all About Customer Service

An awesome manager will focus on people with respect, tactfulness, patience, graciousness, and a desire to serve, says Kiker. How many of you are annoyed by user problems? Don’t be. Instead, focus on keeping the end user’s productivity in mind, and not your own ease. Wise words.

2. You’re a Great Communicator

Communication is always important, but for the manager you’re expected to communicate at different levels – you need to be able to “talk shop” with your CAD/BIM tech teams, but you also need to communicate at understandable levels with non-CAD/BIM staff. Work on keeping users informed of progress when troubleshooting a problem, and, of course, report to management when solutions are put in place.

3. You Share Knowledge

“You’re a walking book of knowledge,” says Kiker. Don’t hoard it. Be willing to share it. Explain to others what caused a problem, how it was fixed, and how to avoid it again. Don’t hang on to techy information, look for ways to share it.

4. You Take Initiative

Constantly look for ways to improve, don’t sit and wait for someone to give you an assignment, proactively do it yourself. If things need fixing, fix it. Have a “desire and initiative to always be moving. Never sit still. Never stop moving forward,” says Kiker.

5. You’re Proactive

This blends in with initiative. “Initiative shows the desire to do things, being proactive – you actually do them.” Look for ways to prevent problems. Look in new areas before others ask about it. Seek out new technology, even when what’s in place works well.

6. You’re Organized

“Organization enables creativity, as soon as something is organized you can think of something else,” says Kiker. Keep track of tasks, deadlines, and know how to prioritize. Be aware of the priorities of others and how they impact yours. Use tools and methods to stay organized, and generate structure where none exists.

7. You Plan

Planning is different to organization. “A planner can take large projects or initiatives and break them down into a step-by-step doable, achievable, manageable steps,” explains Kiker. Your prioritization skills also come into play as you prioritize efforts as projects move along. Seek out ways to help others plan their work and share your plans with them (such as your strategic plan), so that everyone knows what your priorities are.

8. You’re Quality-Driven

If you’re a CAD or BIM manager, nothing is ever going to be better than the quality you make it. “You want to embed quality into everything you do, as if your name is all over it,” says Kiker. Do it right the first time and avoid “do overs” where you have to go back and re-do something all over again. Avoid the attitude of “I can just fix it/finish it later.”

9. You Know how to Document Everything

Whether its developing cheat sheets or creating documentation for non-support staff, understand that everything that is done in a shared environment needs to be documented, shared, stored, and secured.

10. Reports Matter to You

Akin to communication, but a more formal process of letting stakeholders know where they stand. The big one to pay attention to here is notifying management about delays and roadblocks - report the positive, but report the negative as quickly as possible too.

11. You Always Have a Plan B

Before you start a project, have a clear back out strategy so that you can quickly develop options if things derail and know when to put plan B into action.

12. You’re a Team Player

A team player doesn’t just communicate, they work well with others, hand off work, delegate, deliver on time and report progress. Kiker offers some tips on team work here.

13. You Innovate

Think about new tools and methods that might improve your organization. Could you combine existing processes and methods into new approaches?

14. You’re Dedicated

To put it simply, you are all about completing tasks and projects 100%. You avoid re-work or returning to uncompleted work and stay focused on a task/problem until it’s done.

15. You’re Flexible

Close to dedication, this is about being ready and willing to change direction on short notice. It also goes back to the importance of not ignoring routine tech support issues or the needs of users.

16. You’re Passionate

This comes from a love of what you do – the technology, CAD and BIM, and vigorous and optimistic attitude to work.

17. You’re Productive

The cousin of proactive, you look for ways to increase output, avoid unnecessary steps, save time and seek to do the same for others.

18. You’re Humble

You admit mistakes, own errors, share successes, and are confident but not to the detriment of the skills and contributions of others.

19. You’re Teachable

You may be a manager but you’ve still got things to learn. Show your willingness, admit your shortcomings and do something about them.

20. Deadlines Drive You

Can you set realistic delivery dates and meet or beat them? What about being humble or communicative enough to let stakeholders know if a deadline is slipping as soon as you become aware of it? Being deadline driven is a key trait.

Learn More

Didn’t check off all the boxes? Don’t worry. The list is just a guideline and something to strive for.

If you want to make your own list and match the skills you need to perfect these characteristics and build out your strengths, check out Kiker’s training here (if you want the quick version, download the free handout).

Facility Maintenance and Operations: Navigating Today and Planning for Tomorrow

Transition periods are never easy. As businesses move from routine practices to uncertain situations, there’s a level of trepidation involved. Thankfully, there are ways to ease this anxiety—namely, by shedding light on the gap in old vs. new practices. At a time when many organizations are either in the middle of transition or running up against it, investment in visibility is imperative. Nowhere is visibility more important than facility planning. Facility managers need oversight as they begin to adapt assets and workflows in the near-term and for the future.

Michael Willette

Business Applications, Digital Design September 13, 2021

An Operations and Maintenance Approach to Improving Air Quality

The COVID-19 pandemic has been disruptive to physical workplaces for so many reasons. One of the biggest challenges for businesses has been adapting offices to new and often equally disruptive safety standards – social distancing, sanitization, contact tracing, etc. While there’s keen emphasis on these practices, indoor air quality (IAQ) in many offices is only now getting the attention it deserves.

Michael Willette

Digital Design August 20, 2021

Enabling Efficient Patient Care While Optimizing Maintenance Operations

Healthcare facility management is complex, especially since many organizations are open around the clock. Ensuring yours is at its best is expensive. Maintaining a building properly accounts for more than 80 percent of the total cost of operations and occupancy. Safety regulations constantly change. Patients arrive and depart on a variety of timelines. Healthcare workers regularly use spaces like break rooms and storage areas.

Michael Willette

Big Data & Analytics, Channel Partners, Digital Design June 15, 2021

Integrating Workflows Streamlines Data Sharing

Does your business have a single source of truth when it comes to data sharing across facilities? Ensuring data is accurate, relevant, and structured is something any business can recognize as important, yet it is more difficult to achieve than most realize. Just because you are use an integrated workplace management system (IWMS) or have relevant GIS data doesn’t mean it provides a single source of truth.

Michael Willette

Channel Partners, Digital Design May 27, 2021

A Revolution in Digital Design Is Driving a Need for Continuous Learning in Government

This interview was originially posted by GovDesignHub here.

Brandon Norris

Digital Design May 27, 2021

Vault 2022: What’s New and Exciting?

Article authored by Dan Williams and originally posted to GovDesignHub here. On April 6, 2021, Autodesk Vault 2022 was released. And I have to say that it is easily the most feature-rich release in recent memory.

Brandon Norris

Digital Design May 26, 2021

Scratching the Surface: How Surface Engineering Fills in the Gaps that AM Leaves Behind

Prior to 3D printing’s arrival on the manufacturing scene, the US military supply chain was often met with lengthy and arduous timelines for critical asset production. This not only stalled the manufacture and repair of essential equipment within the military supply chain, but it also impeded military readiness, and with high price tags to boot.

Brandon Norris

Channel Partners, Digital Design May 12, 2021

Healthy Buildings: Good for People and for the Planet

Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, according to EPA reports. Whether it is their home, workplace, or another location, people depend heavily on a controlled environment. Everything from the air we breathe to the light we bask in is artificial or at least managed. In shared spaces, it is the responsibility of building owners and managers to provide healthy and safe workplaces.

Carly Bell

Digital Design April 14, 2021

Don't Forget About Asset Maintenance

Out of sight, out of mind. It’s all too easy to forget about asset maintenance when the assets themselves aren’t right in front of you. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this became more evident as employees went home and logged into a virtual workplace instead of coming to a physical space.

Carly Bell

Digital Design March 16, 2021

Sustaining Employee Engagement in the Work-from-Home Era

There are two distinct factions when it comes to working from home: those who relish it and those who despise it. Before COVID-19, working from home was a perk. When the pandemic hit, work-from-home (WFH) became a necessity to combat the virus’s spread. One person’s dream; the other’s nightmare. As COVID-19 rolls on, employers are dealing with two sides of a war between those who want to return to the office and those who’d prefer working from home. Depending on who you ask, results are mixed:

Carly Bell

Digital Design February 8, 2021

Maintaining Privacy in a Modern Workplace

The modern workplace is a far cry from spaces of the past. Banks of private offices gave way to an open concept fad that’s morphed into a hybrid of spaces, including personal desks surrounded by pony walls, hot and hotel desks, and collaboration areas. COVID-19 threw workplace and space management into turmoil, but the return-to-work movement is underway. As employees come back to offices, stores, factories, and other businesses, the need for privacy in the workplace again takes center stage.

Carly Bell

Digital Design January 20, 2021

The Future of Managing Mixed-Use Spaces

Mixed-use spaces – used by public sector agencies for different purposes – or even mixed-use cities present unique challenges for workplace managers under the cloud of COVID. Unlike single-use facilities, mixed-use spaces may see much larger groups of people come and go. Monitoring the health of every individual is likely impossible without strict contact tracing standards.

Carly Bell

graphical people in an open office setting

Digital Design December 10, 2020

Repurposing Historic Buildings for Modern, Open-Office Layouts

Historic buildings hold a special place in the hearts of architects, workplace planners, and employees. There’s something alluring about creating workspaces within the confines of century-old stone or retrofitting a Victorian Era home into offices. For all their uniqueness, repurposing historic buildings for modern workplaces isn’t as easy as replacing a few light fixtures and brushing on a new coat of paint. Most older structures are governed by sometimes-strict regulations overseen by historic districts – the first was created in South Carolina in 1931.

Carly Bell

Digital Design November 25, 2020

Getting the Most Out of Your Autodesk University 2020 Experience

Article originally posted to the GovDesignHub here.

Brandon Norris

Digital Design November 25, 2020

New in Vault 2021: Duplicate Search

Article originially posted to the GovDesignHub here.

Brandon Norris

Digital Design November 24, 2020

How Hoteling is Helping People Return to Work Safely

One of the many challenges that organizations faced this year was the scaling of a remote work model. But with the prospect of life and work returning to normal in the coming months, those same organizations face a new challenge – scaling back up their facilities in a safe way. To learn more about how facilities and space managers are planning for this prospect, I sat down for a Q&A with Nick Stefanidakis, Vice President of Field Sales & Enablement at SpaceIQ.

Brandon Norris

Digital Design November 17, 2020

Integrate IoT Data with an IWMS for a Holistic Workplace View

The benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT) are undeniable. IoT-enabled technologies collect data that impacts cost, productivity, compliance, and security. However, that data is only as good as the analyses derived from it, especially when it’s connected to how workplaces are populated, and space is managed today and in the future.

Carly Bell

Digital Design October 8, 2020

Align Real Estate Portfolio Management with Your Mission

Managing real estate for a single workplace is, in certain ways, simple. There is a single set of data for land, buildings, and leases. For companies with multiple properties or a global presence, the task becomes daunting. A centralized data repository is the key to maintaining accurate and easily accessible information to manage real estate portfolios. But not all data systems are alike. Real estate planners and facility managers should consider several items when choosing a real estate portfolio management system:

Carly Bell

Digital Design September 9, 2020

Safer Workplace Designs: The Next Normal For Open Office Layouts

Let’s face it: the days of open offices are over. The pandemic likely drove the final nail in the coffin of a design fad that was all the rage but fails to meet the safety and productivity needs of today’s workplaces. That’s no easy task in the face of a pandemic that shut the economy down for months and continues to wreak havoc. But employers are reopening workplace doors and welcoming employees back—and Archibus is ready to help with safe back-to-work transitions.

Carly Bell

Digital Design, IT Infrastructure August 20, 2020

7 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Integrated Workplace Management Software (IWMS)

The more things change, the more they stay the same— especially when it comes to budgets and requirements. How does one keep up with it all? It is crucial to track, manage, and analyze property and infrastructure information to maintain or reduce operational costs. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your IWMS and keep up with all the changes thrown your way. 1. Collect as much (accurate) data as possible

Carly Bell

Digital Design May 20, 2020

Build Better Infrastructure – The New Features in Civil 3D 2021

Another release of Civil 3D just became available, just as you probably finished installing the latest 2020 “fix.” That was somewhat sarcastic, but I do some see much needed improvements to Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 and all other 2021 products. But we can’t just look at what’s new in our hero product, but all other complimentary products as well, so I will briefly mention a few of those. Civil 3D Version Interoperability

DLT Solutions

Digital Design May 20, 2020

Design Better – the New Features in Autodesk AutoCAD 2021

A new version of AutoCAD is now available.

DLT Solutions

Digital Design May 15, 2020

How the Cloud is Helping University Campuses Take Back Control of AEC Data

From design, construction, to facilities management, the need for closer ownership is clear.

Shaun Gaffrey

Digital Design May 15, 2020

The Future of Sanitation in the Government Workplace

The future of government offices, buildings, and installations is about to change dramatically. When workers return to work or building owners make changes to how they work, they can expect offices to be designed differently to minimize the spread of germs and make people feel safe. But we can also expect sanitation to step up significantly.

Caron Beesley

Digital Design April 6, 2020

Why Documentation Management is Taking Designers Away from the Business of Designing

Digital design data is a big data business. It requires secure management and storage, versions need to be stringently controlled, and teams need to access files readily so they can share that data with stakeholders. For too long, however, designers, engineers, and CAD managers have relied on traditional document management systems, like network drives, to achieve this. While they do a great job with office documents, those same solutions don’t work well with today’s design files and models, for several reasons:

Caron Beesley

Digital Design April 1, 2020

What’s New in AutoCAD 2021

AutoCAD 2021 is here! On March 25, 2020, Autodesk announced the release of AutoCAD 2021 the latest iteration of its flagship software first released in 1982. A key update includes a new integration with Google Drive allowing users to access their designs wherever they are as well as performance enhancements. Let’s break down what’s new.

Caron Beesley

Digital Design November 12, 2019

How to Use Your AutoCAD Details as you Transition to Revit

Article originally posted to GovDesignHub here. If you’ve made the move from AutoCAD to Revit, congratulations. But what do you do with that huge library of details that you amassed over years of working on CAD projects? As you transition to Revit, recreating AutoCAD details is a hassle and trashing them is out of the question. The good news is, you can use details right in your Revit project – straight from AutoCAD.

Caron Beesley

Digital Design November 12, 2019

AU 2019: See What’s in Store for Infrastructure and Transportation Design

Article originally posted to GovDesignHub here. Building and maintaining our nation’s infrastructure is a critical responsibility of the public sector. Yet, year-after-year, the U.S. continues to rank low on the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Infrastructure Report Card.

Caron Beesley

Uncategorized November 12, 2019

Boost Your Skills and Career with Autodesk Certification at AU 2019

Article originally posted on GovDesignHub here. Autodesk University (AU) returns to Las Vegas from November 19-21 – and we have some good news. In addition to discounted conference passes now available on GSA Schedule, Autodesk Certification exams are back at AU 2019!

Caron Beesley

Uncategorized November 5, 2019

Safeguarding and Monitoring Your Agency’s IT Environment

By Mav Turner, VP, Product Management, SolarWinds For federal IT pros, moving to a cloud environment is a “when” rather than an “if” proposition. From the government’s recently released Report on IT Modernization, calling for agencies to identify solutions to current barriers regarding agency cloud adoption, to the White House’s draft release of a new “Cloud Smart” policy, which updates the “Cloud First” policy introduced in 2010; cloud migration continues to be a priority.

DLT Solutions

Digital Design November 1, 2019

Smart Cities: A Vision That Can’t Be Realized Without BIM

Smart cities have been called “the future of urban development”, but what is a smart city and what does it mean to digital designers and engineers?

Kirk Fisher

Federal Fiscal Year End, Uncategorized September 11, 2019

During FFYE, Good Requirements Help Both Government and Industry

The old business adage runs, “Nothing happens until somebody sells something.” To which you might add this corollary: nothing good happens in the absence of strong requirements.

Brian Strosser

IT Perspective, Uncategorized July 11, 2019

New Cyber Scoring Drags Down Agency FITARA Scores

The latest data on the progress of federal government agencies’ implementation of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) was released on June 26 by the House Oversight and Reform Committee as Scorecard 8.0.

Melissa Perez

Cloud Computing, Uncategorized July 10, 2019

The Sky is Not the Limit: Takeaways from the AWS Public Sector Summit

Key takeaways show how public sector customers are achieving more with cloud. As cloud continues to transform the public sector, cloud has had its own metamorphosis: from a trendy buzz word to a catalyst for meaningful change, innovation, and more. Last month, AWS hosted its 10th annual AWS Public Sector Summit. The conference brought together more than 17,000 attendees for 2+ days of insights, sessions, and networking, and explored how cloud is fueling the public sector for a limitless future. Recap

Isabella Jacobovitz

Uncategorized June 4, 2019

Leverage DLT's Growing Portfolio During State Fiscal Year-End

Many states' fiscal years are quickly coming to an end, and at DLT we’re committed to making the job of the procurement officer as easy as possible as they scramble to make smart and responsible purchasing decisions with remaining taxpayer dollars. Part of this process is raising awareness of what’s new in our extensive portfolio of IT solutions including big data and analysis, cloud, cybersecurity, application lifecycle, digital design, IT consolidation and management, and more.

Brian Strosser

Uncategorized May 7, 2019

What is a Master Government Aggregator?

Earlier this year DLT announced they were selected as the “Master Government Aggregator”

DLT Solutions

Business Applications, Uncategorized May 7, 2019

How BIM Makes the IPD Model Possible – a Q&A with BuroHappold

Not all Ivy League schools have massive endowments and bank accounts. Some have to get more creative when looking to build new facilities on a budget – or simply embrace innovative new approaches to design and construction.

DLT Solutions

Business Applications, Uncategorized May 7, 2019

What’s New in AutoCAD 2020 for Govies?

It’s that time of year again! Spring is here and Autodesk has commenced its steady roll-out of 2020 software releases. First off is AutoCAD 2020. Released in late March 2019, AutoCAD 2020 includes interesting and exciting new features. With a subscription to AutoCAD 2020, you’ll get industry-specific toolsets; improved workflows across all your devices – web, mobile, and desktop; and new integrations with cloud storage vendors. Here’s a round-up of what’s new.

Kirk Fisher

Digital Design February 25, 2019

Autodesk Acquisition of BuildingConnected Reinforces its Goal of Digitizing Complex Construction Workflows

Autodesk made further strides into its quest to empower the technological transformation of the construction industry with its recent acquisition of BuildingConnected – a leader in preconstruction tools that help building owners and contractors streamline their operations and communicate better.

Caron Beesley

Big Data & Analytics, Digital Design January 24, 2019

Rebuilding Infrastructure with AI and Machine Learning

The state of our nation’s infrastructure is grim. The most recent report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave U.S. infrastructure an overall score of “D” for “poor” or “at risk”.

Caron Beesley

Digital Design January 15, 2019

How Reality Capture is Changing the Design and Construction Industry

If your job involves capturing existing field conditions as part of the design and construction process, you’ll know it’s a tedious, manual, often analog and inaccurate process, which often leads to costly re-work. Whether you’re renovating a building or involved in a large-scale infrastructure project, the process goes something like this:

Holly Chapman

Digital Design December 17, 2018

Capturing Reality with Autodesk ReCap

As any surveyor or field engineer knows, capturing existing field conditions for an infrastructure project or building renovation is a tedious, manual, often analog, and inaccurate process – not to mention dangerous. Renovations projects are a particular challenge since the infrastructure or building may be decades old and designed before the age of digital blueprints. You’re almost guaranteed to start a project using static 2D image documentation of existing conditions. Verifying and updating these manually is a lot of leg work.

Holly Chapman

Digital Design, Uncategorized December 13, 2018

BIM Dominates Top Five GovDesignHub Articles of 2018

When we launched GovDesignHub in the spring of 2018, we had one goal in mind – to address the lack of resources, discussion, and analysis available online for those who practice in government digital design ecosystem. Today, we’re proud to be the only website that showcases government design projects and the technology used to support them and deliver content to help public sector organizations accomplish their missions. In the words of one of our top contributors, Lynn Allen, of Autodesk fame:

Holly Chapman

Digital Design, Uncategorized December 13, 2018

BIM Dominates Top Five GovDesignHub Articles of 2018

Holly Chapman

Digital Design November 14, 2018

BIM Dominates as Winners Announced at AEC Excellence Awards 2018

What do a Facebook data center, a railway, an expressway, an office building extension, and a cancer center have in common? These and other global projects are recipients of this year’s AEC Excellence Awards in recognition of how they’ve embraced technology to reimagine the processes of design and construction.

Holly Chapman

Federal Fiscal Year End, Uncategorized September 12, 2018

Tom Temin: Understanding the Color of Federal Money

Congress first enacted federal appropriations law in 1809. It’s kept lawyers, contractors, and judges busy ever since. A question arising in many sellers’ minds at this time of year is, what money is available for contracts in more than one fiscal year?

Tom Temin

Digital Design September 10, 2018

How to Win your Agency a Free Pass to Autodesk University

Want to win a free pass to Autodesk University (AU) 2018? Earlier this summer, we announced that we’ll be awarding a full conference pass for you or a chosen nominee at your agency or department to attend Autodesk University 2018 in Las Vegas from November 13-15th.

Holly Chapman

Digital Design August 30, 2018

Need Another Autodesk Product? Switch to an Autodesk Industry Collection and Save

Autodesk introduced its Autodesk Collections a couple of years ago and there’s never been a better time to make the switch from individual product subscriptions to a collection. Thanks to a limited time offer from Autodesk, your agency can save 20% on the remaining months of your existing term if you switch by October 25, 2018. But what’s the buzz about collections and why make the move? Why Make the Move to Autodesk Collections?

Holly Chapman

Digital Design August 24, 2018

3 Ways to Use Federal Year-End Funds to Boost Your Digital Design Projects

It’s that time again, when agencies rush to spend their remaining year-end budget before the September 30th “use it or lose it” deadline. One-third of federal budget dollars are spent in the last quarter of the year, often in a wasteful manner. But for those in the field of digital design – there are many opportunities to make value-based investments using taxpayer dollars before it’s too late. 1. Training

Holly Chapman

Digital Design July 30, 2018

Making the Move to BIM is the Right Decision (Just Like CAD was 30 Years Ago)

Download the eBook here! If you’re one of the millions of people who’ve been lucky enough to hear Lynn Allen present, you’ll know her as the queen of AutoCAD tips and tricks and all-round Autodesk technical evangelist, but she also knows quite a bit about the latest disruptive technology – BIM.

Caron Beesley

20 Traits of an Awesome CAD/BIM/Tech Manager

Related Blog Posts