Architectural Design and CAD

In any business, the essential element for the successful use of data processing is training. This represents the largest expense both at start-up and as CAD impacts design office procedures other than drafting. Training is also the most difficult cost item to quantify. Even more than the equip­ ment, training - or retraining in the case of professionals in practice - is the key to increased productivity. Recommendations for specific programs of training are beyond the scope of this paper. Once staff has been retrained to work at higher levels of productivity with data processing equipment, they are more valuable. They will be more difficult to replace. Their new capabilities represent a significant invest­ ment in modernization, both to the individual design office and to the design profession as a whole. There is a shortage of qualified people with both professional and computer skills. Competition among employers for people with these skills already exists and will probably continue into the foreseeable future. At the outset of training, an employment agreement is worth consider­ ing for the well-being of all parties.