CM2829 - Starting and Maintaining a Company
User Group
Kevin Robinson
kevin.robinson@autodesk.com
Product Manager, Autodesk PLM 360
© 2012 Autodesk
Introduction

15+ years experience with Autodesk technology
 Over 10 years as a full time CAD geek
th
 13 AU …. I think…..
th
 7 year as a AU speaker
 Have used Inventor since day one…..
 11 User Group start ups
 Created a repeatable, managed process for sharing knowledge internally
and externally


User Groups, Blog, newsltter, eLearning , etc
Explored and implemented various technologies to keep it all going.
© 2012 Autodesk
Class Description

Internal CAD tribes and user groups are mission-critical to ensuring your
company is able to leverage all the software’s capabilities. This class will
cover best practices and technology enablers that will help empower you
and your co-workers to get the most out of your CAD investments.
© 2012 Autodesk
What is a user group?
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Are you already a member of a user
group or cad user community?
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Class Objectives

Discussion on WHY user groups are so important
 Learn how easy it is to get a company user group started
 Understand the dynamics required to keep it going
 Explore different technology enablers that can empower many
 User Group ROI
 Open Q and A
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Importance of User Groups
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© 2012 Autodesk
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Importance of user groups
Ways companies invest in CAD….
 Elements of Success
 End User Adoption
 Spreads out the knowledge

© 2012 Autodesk
Ways companies get CAD software….

Buy
 Buy and Hope
 Buy and "We got this one guy…..“
 Buy, Basic Training, Install
 Invest, Tailored Training and Implementation, A few days on the books
left over
 Plan, Invest, Custom Everything, On going training plan
© 2012 Autodesk
Possible Elements of Success
Training
2. Customer Champion
3. Business Goal Alignment
4. Client and Network Hardware
5. Templates and Standards
6. File Sharing / Data Locations
7. Non-Engineering Impact Review
8. Customer Vision / Enablement
9. Target Metrics / Plan
10. Helpdesk / Lifeline
11. New tool Methods / Advanced Workflows
1.
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Forced Ranked Elements of Success

Customer Vision / Enablement
 Business Goal Alignment
 Customer Champion / Change Mgr
 New tool Methods / Advanced Workflows
 Training
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End User Adoption

Open Communication
 Understand the hurdles or roadblocks
 Share the Influence of change
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Spreads out the knowledge

Distributes the load of the support system
 Enables future input and direction
 Supports common workflows vs. every person for them self
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Start Up
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Getting one started - Critical Elements

YOU
 Some spare time
 Excitement and Passion
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Getting one started – the process

Send out a user survey
 Get some speakers or create content
 Pick a date that works for most people
 Find out what type of food people want
 Set an agenda and forward 2 days in advance
 Run the meeting
 Ask the users who wants to present at the next meeting…..
© 2012 Autodesk
Getting one started – the process – TAKE TWO

Borrow / Steal some content from your reseller or the internet
 Pick an upcoming Friday around lunchtime
 Tell some co-workers when and where they can find free food
 Run the meeting
 Have a sign in sheet and a place where they can fill in future topics
 Run the same meeting a few more times
© 2012 Autodesk
Keeping It Going
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Keeping it going….we had a few meetings now
what?

Formalize the basics
 Content, Content, Content
 Steady trickle…..
 Knowledge Management planning
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Formalize the basics

Set an agenda the users can count on:

Basics review
 Intermediate
 What's New
 Open Discussion

Establish the meeting frequency


Monthly
Duration

Meeting location
 Notification process
 Feedback Loop
© 2012 Autodesk
Content, Content, Content

Content Sources:

Common questions and helpdesk issues from your company
 AUGI
 Existing Local user group
 Your reseller
 AOTC books from autodesk.com
 The internet
 Guest Speaker
© 2012 Autodesk
Steady Trickle….weekly

Forward a Article from AUGI or a web link
 Send something new YOU learned this week
 Send a link to a you tube video (cad related of course)
 Forward content you subscribe to, but tailor to the work you do
© 2012 Autodesk
Getting started with Knowledge Management

Establish a running list of topics that anyone cad add to
 Maintain an archive of past content for review
 Work with other end users and see “how they do it”, document it
 Work with HR on understanding how they track knowledge and skills and
look for synergy and or sponsorship
© 2012 Autodesk
Technology Enablers
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Technology enablers

Stocking Stuffers
 Under the radar
 IT / Management involvement 
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Stocking Stuffers

Techsmith Jing – www.jingproject.com

Quick capture of image or video
 Create link to share with co-workers
 Leverage screencast as backbone for sharing – www.screencast.com
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Under the radar

Techsmith Snagit - $50





Fast and east screen grabs
Also does video capture
Very powerful editing and markup tools
Great for creating user group content
Ning – www.ning.com - $19.95 a month



Affordable web based community building tool
Blogs, photos, discussions, videos, etc
Can be set to private
© 2012 Autodesk
IT / Management involvement 

www.gotomeeting.com - $500 per year




Techsmith Camtasia Studio / Snag it bundle - $350


Everything from Snagit + Full feature video capture and editing tools
www.myigetit.com - $95 a user + Publishing tool $




Great for remote employees
Great for enabling remote guest speakers
Has nice tracking and survey tools
Learning paths
Video, text, PPT and PDF content support
Reporting tools for
Microsoft SharePoint - $$

Discussion Groups, Lists, Alerts, outlook syncing
© 2012 Autodesk
Summary

Hopefully you are ready to start a user group at your company
 Better understand some speaking points to create some urgency
 Seen some technology that might enable you to gain momentum
© 2012 Autodesk
Open Discussion
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Contact Info
Kevin Robinson
kevin.robinson@autodesk.com
© 2012 Autodesk
Class Summary
Class summary text goes here
© 2012 Autodesk
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Autodesk, AutoCAD* [*if/when mentioned in the pertinent material, followed by an alphabetical list of all other trademarks mentioned in the material] are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and
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