Boxes of CAD Standards

I was looking through some boxes of CAD Standards I have. Yes “Boxes” – plural. I have collected CAD Standards over the years and have seen just about everything from “War and Peace” volumes to one page standards.

Now most of these were from clients that I had to follow to work on the projects. Most of them made suggestions and demands that differed from what I was doing internally with my firm. But we all know that if you want the job, you comply. It is part of doing business.

But it did remind me that I want to always include a review of my standard from the perspective of those who have to comply with using it.

I mean from the perspective of your subs or clients. They will have to use your files. They may have to produce files without your custom tools or fancy LISP routines. Can they do it? Have you embedded difficult requirements that cannot be achieved easily without some custom programming? Have you required setups that are hard to do without your version or advanced vertical product?

Keep this in mind when you are reviewing your standard! Not everyone may have your tools or your expertise.