Why this emphasis on communication in Architectural CAD Drafting Services?

The new millennium, technology and economy ushered in a plethora of new industries, Architectural CAD drafting services being one of them. This augurs well for the industry, creating more avenues of specialization, entrepreneurship and employment. At the same time, like any ‘outsourced’ industry, it brings with it rules, processes and words that are Latin to the ‘techie’, in this case, the drafter. Amongst many questions, the second most popular (the first has to be ‘Quality’) is “Why this emphasis on communication in architectural CAD drafting services?”

The new dedicated drafting company

Isn’t that what an architectural CAD drafting services firm is? In-sourced or outsourced, the fact remains that this is the sapling that was uprooted from the parent plant. While that could sound harsh to some, it also shows creation of an independent unit.

In any case, unlike the conventional scenario where the architect could hover around the drafter and keep giving part instructions and instant reviews, this is a more defined and professional set-up. The architect has to define and write down the job clearly and comment on the results.

In turn, the ‘new dedicated drafting company’ must specify their needs, define a schedule, a work process and deliver review sets and final drawings.

Got it. Now where cometh Mr. Communication?

About time we came to the ‘main menu’, too.

While communication is important for the sustenance of any relationship, it gathers a little more importance in with architectural CAD drafting services.  Any task performed remotely from the source, creates a sense of ‘loss of control’, such is human nature. This feeling of ‘loss of control’ creates different reactions in different people, none of them positive. There could be aggression, suppression, duplication of work, missing deadlines, last minute shocks and many more situations. In each case, either the efficiency or the quality of the final output suffers.

Many experts in the field of management, systems, quality and, in particular process management maintain that communication, while not the panacea to failure, is the only way to begin setting things right.

 So, what does Communication do here?

However simplified, architectural CAD drafting services never get a task that is plain, simple, open and shut drafting. With every designer using CAD, a basic level of drafting and editing is done by him, not only because it’s not worth the effort, but also because today’s designers does a lot ideation on CAD, too.

So, going by that logic, the architectural CAD drafting services provider picks up where the designer gets off. However crystal clear be the designer’s instructions, there will still be a level of design interpretation that the drafter will need to do. And this exactly is where communication comes handy. Here is how:

(a) Constant communication helps convey the design intent to the service provider

(b)The drafter, then takes a decision, but communicates his idea to the designer before making it final. This not only strengthens the understanding between the two, but also replaces that feeling of ‘loss of control’ with another feeling:’ trust’.

Having understood the essence of the need of communication in architectural services, in conclusion, here are the various benefits listed:

• Defines task clearly
• Encourages service provider to ask, not assume, when in doubt
• Conveys design intent to drafter, allowing him to offer solutions when raising a query. Saves time, increases efficiency manifold
• Creates a participative approach. In case of errors, this approach leads to a problem solving rather than blaming
• Engages the drafter in the project, which leads to ownership and higher quality
• Creates a record of exchanges which helps in problem solving and creating a knowledge base

Our future blogs look at ways of communication with architectural Cad services firms