So many CAD managers came to their position because they were expert CAD users. However, CAD skills are only a part of what it takes to be a good CAD manager. This award-winning panel is back to share important lessons they’ve learned from decades of experience. Learn from this panel of diverse CAD managers who are widely respected as leaders in their field. Hear their unique perspective and solutions to challenges faced by CAD managers from organizations of all sizes and backgrounds. Topics include CAD standards, keeping up with rapidly changing technology, managing users, communicating with management and other nontechnical people, budgeting, working remotely and supporting remote users, and more. Join us for a panel discussion that’s become an anticipated Autodesk University tradition. Take this opportunity to learn from four CAD managers who have been there—and done that.

Join a roundtable discussion on the challenges and solutions associated with managing CAD standards. Engage in a discussion about how we are, could, and should be managing block libraries, line styles, and templates-both internally and between organizations. We'll delve into technologies currently on offer, from AutoCAD software's standard functionalities to Vault data management software, Buzzsaw software, network shares, and third-party solutions. And we'll explore the options around custom development.

CAD managers are facing a major shift. As artificial intelligence (AI) and Automation, Integration, & Customization tools become more accessible, the traditional role of CAD oversight is evolving into a leadership position focused on efficiency, strategy, and Management. In this session, we’ll explore how AI technologies—including ChatGPT for conversational assistance and script guidance, Autodesk Platform Services for seamless integration, and Dynamo for low-code Automation, Integration, & Customization—are reshaping CAD workflows in AutoCAD and Civil 3D software. You’ll learn how to automate tedious tasks, improve quality control, and better support project teams—all without needing to become a programmer. If you're ready to stop reacting and start leading, this session will show you the tools and mindset needed for the future of CAD management.

Great CAD managers know that they can positively impact the bottom line by making projects run smoother and by reducing errors, but they often have difficulty getting their management teams to understand. In this session, we'll talk about ways to integrate CAD management into project workflows in a way that cuts rework and gets more work done in fewer man-hours-saving the company money on every project. CAD managers will learn valuable tips for selling this approach to their senior managers, while IT and senior managers will gain valuable perspectives on how CAD management can impact their company's profitability. Along the way, we'll pay particular attention to measuring savings and computing the return on investment for CAD management. If you want to get your boss to notice and listen to you, save him or her money with the concepts you'll learn in this class-and watch your career take off.

Some CAD managers are challenged with balancing their “real work” (as a billable employee) with their CAD management responsibilities (often considered nonbillable time). This can be a daunting and thankless assignment. Billable work and deadlines consume your workday, so CAD management gets squeezed in between projects, during lunches, or after hours. But it’s possible to use some simple (and a few not-so-simple) AutoLISP tricks to make AutoCAD software do some of the heavier or more tedious CAD management tasks, so you can get back to your work (and your life). Like many tools, AutoLISP can be intimidating, frustrating, dangerous, and powerful all at the same time. But as with any tool, understanding how it works and how to work it makes a huge difference. In this session, we’ll look at some real-world scenarios, a number of examples, and a variety of resources available to use back at your company.

Some CAD managers have to balance their “real work” (as billable employees) with their CAD management responsibilities (often considered nonbillable time). This can be a daunting and thankless assignment. Billable work and deadlines consume your workday, so the needs of CAD management get squeezed in between projects, during lunches, or after hours. But it’s possible to capitalize on some simple (and a few not so simple) AutoLISP tricks to make AutoCAD software do some of the heavy lifting or tedious tasks of CAD management so you can get back to your work (and back to your life). Like many tools, AutoLISP can be intimidating, frustrating, dangerous, and powerful—all at the same time. But as with any tool, understanding how it works and how to work it makes a huge difference. In this session, we’ll look at some real-world scenarios, a number of examples, and a variety of resources you can capitalize on back at your company.

Great CAD managers know that they can positively impact the bottom line by making projects run smoother and by reducing errors, but they often have difficulty getting their management teams to understand. In this session, we will talk about ways to integrate CAD management into project workflows in a way that cuts rework and gets more work done in fewer man-hours—saving the company money on every project. CAD managers will learn valuable tips for selling this approach to their senior managers, while IT and senior managers will gain valuable perspectives on how CAD management can impact their company's profitability. Along the way, we’ll pay particular attention to measuring savings and computing the return on investment for CAD management. If you want to get your boss to listen to you, save them money with the concepts you’ll learn in this class.

Join a roundtable discussion on the challenges and solutions for managing CAD standards. Engage in a discussion on how we are, how we could, and how we should be managing block libraries, line styles, and templates—both internally and between organizations. We will delve into technologies currently on offer, from AutoCAD software standard functionalities to Vault software, Buzzsaw software, Network shares, and third-party technology, and we’ll explore the options around custom development. This session features AutoCAD and Vault Professional.

In 2020 and 2021, CAD managers have been tested as never before as the world changed seemingly overnight and as we now navigate the changes back to “normal.” This award-winning panel is back to discuss these timely topics and more. Learn from the experiences of this panel of diverse CAD managers who are widely respected as leaders in their field. Hear their unique perspectives and solutions to challenges faced by CAD managers from organizations of all sizes and backgrounds. We will discuss topics related to working remotely and the challenges of being a CAD manager during a pandemic. If you’re burnt out on hearing about COVID, we’ll also cover several other important CAD management topics, including CAD standards, keeping up with rapidly changing technology, managing users, communicating with management, budgeting, and more. Join us for a panel discussion that has become an anticipated Autodesk University tradition. Take this opportunity to learn from four CAD managers who have been there and done that.

Challenges for CAD/BIM administrators are universal, whether license monitoring, software deployment or backing up cloud solutions. Symetri works with clients to develop workflows via a portfolio of solutions to solve these challenges. Join us as our technical experts explain these challenges and how Symetri customers in leading companies around the world have utilized CQFlexMon, CQi, & BIMrx Cloud Manager to work smarter. Increase efficiency, reduce costs, compliance risks and time spent maintaining business-critical on-premise engineering tools with license monitoring & software deployment solutions. Explore how BIM administrators at leading companies have accelerated bulk project setup, simplified member management and automated typical data management tasks. Whether syncing data between network locations and BIM 360/ACC, managing folder permissions, managing users, or automating exporting from Revit Models, Cloud Manager has streamlined these challenges for multiple projects.

You now have the responsibility to manage CAD within your department and/or organization, but your job title does not include CAD manager. You do not or cannot dedicate your time full time to this task. So how do you do this? We will use my transition from reseller to mining equipment manufacturer in an examination of how to get buy-in from management, how to get participation by the users (and your peers), where to start, and how to proceed. Let us talk standards, processes, procedures, training, CAD, management, and continual leadership.

This is an effective, structured management system based on the National CAD Standard (NCS) Uniform Drawing System (UDS). This management system emphasizes for Revit software and overlaps AutoCAD software, managing anything from simple distributed model setups (each discipline in a file) to fully integrated (all-in-one) models on A360 Collaboration for Revit cloud service. It is commonly part of the organizational section of a Building Information Modeling (BIM) execution plan. This approach limits added parameters to the Revit software models, and it compartmentalizes liability to each discipline in a way that minimizes confusion and enables each discipline to more directly and fully manage their own content. This session features Revit and A360. AIA Approved

In my 10 years with CAD, I've only met a handful of people lucky enough to have a full-time job as a CAD manager. Most of us got to be a CAD manager because we had a powerful feeling that we could get our jobs done more easily if we could just get our CAD tools sorted out (and because no one else wanted to do it!). This class is for people who want to be CAD managers, people who have become CAD managers by accident, and people who do the CAD manager’s job and don’t get any credit for it! In this class, we will discuss 5 key areas that you must attend to as a CAD manager to support your team and effect your team’s productivity. Finally, we will discuss tools for putting these 5 key areas onto a productivity road map to help you plan a phased improvement. Whether you’re managing CAD at your company officially or unofficially, please come and join us for this lively and informative class. AIA Approved

We work in an industry where change is rapid and, in many cases, it is accelerating. CAD managers need to be able to adapt not only to technical challenges but also to changes in the economy. This award-winning panel is back to share important lessons they've learned from decades of experience. Learn from this panel of diverse CAD managers who are widely respected as leaders in their field. Hear their unique perspectives and solutions to challenges faced by CAD managers from organizations of all sizes and backgrounds. Topics will include keeping up with rapidly changing technology, budgeting, efficiency in economic uncertainty, communicating with management and other non-technical team members, managing users, standards, and more. Join us for a panel discussion that has become an anticipated Autodesk University tradition. Take this opportunity to learn from four CAD managers who have been there and done that.

You’ve been given the responsibility to manage CAD within your department and/or organization, but your job title does not include “CAD manager.” You do not or cannot dedicate all of your time to this task. So how do you do this? We’ll use my transition from reseller to mining equipment manufacturer as a way of examining how to get buy-in from management, how to get participation by the users (and your peers), where to start, and how to proceed, as well as reviewing my continuing development with time and project management. Let’s talk processes, procedures, training, CAD, management, and continual leadership.

Are you a glutton for the perfect CAD/BIM standard? Do you lust after other CAD/BIM managers who have the authority to get things done? Do project teams become greedy about their own standards, wrathfully rejecting the standardized and more efficient ways you proudly implement? You need not despair. This class will focus on ways to put yourself into the enviable position of having users who listen to you. Combining more than two decades of CAD, BIM, and IT support and management experience, plus years of working with numerous companies to help support their technical managers and staff, we will discuss the things nobody likes to talk about—the sins CAD and BIM managers commit while doing their jobs. What sins might you be guilty of, and what’s the path to righteousness? Join this session to learn some of the common pitfalls, missteps, and misconceptions that come with the job, and uncover why they happen, and learn how to avoid them.

Are you a glutton for the perfect CAD/BIM standard? Do you lust after other CAD/BIM managers who have the authority to get things done? Do project teams become greedy about their own standards, wrathfully rejecting the standardized and more efficient ways you proudly implement? You need not despair. This class will focus on ways to put yourself into the enviable position of having users who listen to you. Combining more than two decades of CAD, BIM, and IT support and management experience, plus years of working with numerous companies to help support their technical managers and staff, we will discuss the things nobody likes to talk about—the sins CAD and BIM managers commit while doing their jobs. What sins might you be guilty of, and what’s the path to righteousness? Join this session to learn some of the common pitfalls, missteps, and misconceptions that come with the job, and uncover why they happen, and learn how to avoid them.