Engineering companies are increasingly relying on outsourcing when it comes to CAD solutions. However, every outsourced CAD process is not successful. While some clients struggle to get the desired results from their service providers, others fail to add value to their products and services. This is because clients don't do their homework properly before outsourcing their CAD processes. The success of outsourcing depends as much on the client as it depends on the vendor. So, to ensure the success of CAD outsourcing, clients should do their groundwork well in advance.

You can make your outsourced CAD process a success by:

1.Specifying your goals: Rushing into the outsourcing decision without clear goals can put the entire project at risk. So, before you outsource a CAD process, it is imperative that you specify what you want to achieve by doing so. To get a clear picture of your goals, you can conduct a proper internal research. Sit with your in-house CAD team and find out how outsourcing can enhance your business. The thrust of your goal setting process should be on value addition rather than cost-effectiveness. This is because cost optimization is just a minor part of the whole outsourcing process; the real benefit that you derive from this practice is value addition. Once you get a fair idea of what you actually want to achieve from outsourcing, it is safe to take a plunge.

2. Choosing the right outsourcing model: Getting the right vendor for your CAD process is the most important part of outsourcing. To get the most appropriate service provider, conduct an extensive search in the marketplace. It is imperative that the vendor should be able to provide the necessary infrastructure and human resource for the execution of your CAD process. Do not hire a service provider just because they are offering the best price. The vendor choice must do justice to the requirements. If you are a big company and have a large project to outsource, you may require a large project outsourcing company. Short term, low budget projects might need a freelancer. However, if you are a small and medium enterprise (SME) or an individual business owner, then you might go in for a tailor-made outsourcing solution like hiring a remotely working dedicated employee.

3. Taking regular updates: Remember to take the front seat in deriving the desired results from outsourcing. A regular follow up of the outsourced process can bring out most favorable results right from the beginning. Therefore, depute a team to follow up on the results of outsourcing.

4. Establishing effective communication with the service provider: A healthy and constructive communication with your service provider as well as the people working on the outsourced CAD process can get you the desired results. Therefore, keep all the channels of communication open with your vendor. You should insist the vendor provides you with the latest communication devices. Rather you should go for a vendor that shares the vision that communication is the key to success of an outsourced CAD process.

If followed properly, these rules can make your outsourced CAD process a success.