Stump the Chumps II

After a one year hiatus, Stump the Chumps is returning to SolidWorks World in 2010.  I’m pleased to announce that I’ve volunteered as one of the chumps this year.

In an effort to answer even more questions, the Stump the Chumps II breakout session will take on a slightly different format.  Instead of spending the entire period fielding questions from the audience, questions should be submitted prior to the conference.  If you would like to challenge the chumps with your question, please email us at stumpthechumps@gmail.com.  More information about presenters and the breakout session can be found at Jeff’s Tool Shed.

SolidWorks is easy to learn

Based on my recent unscientific research, SolidWorks seems like it is an easy application to learn.  In one poll, I asked for preference of educational choices for new employees not familiar with SolidWorks.  A second poll asked how current users actually learned SolidWorks.  The results are a little surprizing.

Of the respondents to the first poll, just slightly over 50% said they would teach SolidWorks to new employees on the job by mentoring them.  Just under 50% said they would send their employee to VAR classes.

In the second poll, the overwhelming majority stated that they are self-taught in the use of SolidWorks.  Some questions comes to mind.  If SolidWorks is so easy to learn, do the VAR classes serve any purpose?  Or, is it that the VAR classes are so ineffective that one is forced to learn on their own?

My own experience in sending new employees to VAR taught introductory SolidWorks classes have yielded mixed results.  They do not seem effective in many cases.  In fact, the VAR classes actually seem to be turning off some individuals to the use of SolidWorks.  It may be that there is just too much information crammed into the short 3 to 5 day courses.

SolidWorks is easy enough to learn without classes.  Classes should simply be used to provide a head start.  Instead, in some cases they seem to have the opposite effect.  Maybe the classes need to be broken down a bit.  Perhaps the introductory class can take a slower pace and focus on core skills over the 3 days.  Then, more complex skills can be taught in an intermediate class over another 3 days.  (The current advanced classes offered by VARs would likely remain the same.)

Interesting recent industry articles

There are a lot of interesting topics going on in the CAD blogospere recently.  Topics ranging from interesting business decisions to commentary about contraversial statements.  I contemplated covering many of these topics in individual articles.  Well, instead here’s a list of what I found to be most interesting recently:

Are Autodesk Products Unimportant? – Deelip Menezes

How do I manipulate my model view; let me count the ways – Wilke of SolidWorks Corp

What is Dassault Systemes up to? – yes, this is my own article

Dassault spins out SmarTeam development and support – Al Dean of Develop3D

What’s going on at Adobe? – Al Dean of Develop3D

SolidWorks Mythbuster: fully defined sketches and rebuilt speed – Matt Lombard of Dezignstuff SolidWorks Blog

How did you learn SolidWorks?

In a previous article, I recently asked for the opinions of others about the best methods to train new employees for SolidWorks.  So far, the response is split between “on the job training with a mentor” and “VAR taught introductory courses”.  This is a bit of a surprize given the emphasis placed on VAR based training these days.   Do others question of the value of VAR training?  Is it effective?  Or, is VAR training just not worth the costs or the time away from work?  My own experience is that VAR training classes do not necessarily give the best benefit to new users.

The responses made me curious about something else.  How did current SolidWorks users learn the software?

How did you first learn the SolidWorks application? (Pick the primary method)

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

SolidWorks World 2010: International Travel

SWW2010 international travel bannerThe event is called SolidWorks World because it is the international convention for SolidWorks.  Attendees are from many countries.  The SolidWorks World website has special information to help the international traveller, available on its international travel information page.  It includes passport and visa information.  There is also contact details for those who require an invitation letter for a visa.