Client Staff Input on Design Using 3D CADD and other Tools

All major design projects present a multitude of challenges. A key challenge to all projects is the ability to effectively communicate issues and quickly reach consensus. The ability of the client / engineer team to overcome this challenge is a basic component of a successful project.Business and software management firms offer a wide and sometimes confusing range of techniques and software for teams to use in project communications, production, and decision making. This paper focuses on our experience with a select group of key techniques and tools to quickly bring people to consensus. CTE's recent experience on projects with multiple disciplines indicates that the use of tools such as three dimensional (3-D) modeling, and electronic file editing, in a workshop based project approach, is the best way of communicating ideas. Instead of pouring over dozens of concepts trying to visualize the project, trying to understand other disciplines' drawings and potential conflicts, and trying to resolve problems, CTE has used these techniques to accelerate understanding of the entire project.