A CAD Checklist

One means of determining whether procedures are in place to address CAD issues is to compare internal practices with the following checklist. While the list is neither exhaustive nor specifically tailored to the particular needs of any design professional, it does provide a good starting point from which to work.

Administrative Procedures

• Establish procedures for hardware/software purchasing.
• Institute security procedures that restrict to the necessary individuals access to the system.
• Review professional liability insurance policy to determine scope of coverage.
• Prepare and distribute a training and procedures manual that clearly states accepted procedures regarding computerized design data.
• Require incorporation of source identification (including author and date) into electronically transmitted design data.
• Execute technical specifications agreements with consultants, vendors and contractors.
• Coordinate definition of deliverables and compensation with the designer/client contract.
• Negotiate scope of services, provisions and waivers that contemplate the use of computerized and electronically generated design data.
• Institute procedures for identification of generations and revisions of drawings and specifications.
• Create transmittal memoranda for all transfers of design data, whether electronic or by disk, and include design document identification numbers.
• Retain hard copies of all transmitted memoranda.

Designer/Client Contracts

• Negotiate clear definition of "deliverables" that makes provision for electronically generated design data.
• Tie compensation to the "deliverables" as defined in the contract. Include a technical specifications agreement.
• Negotiate scope-of-services provisions and waivers that contemplate the use of computerized and electronically generated design data.
• Negotiate indemnification provisions that allocate responsibility for errors and omissions arising from the use of computerized and electronically generated design data.

Data, Information and Document Source Identification

• Maintain a log of the dates of transmission and receipt of all electronically generated design data.
• Maintain an archive of all transmitted data, information and documents.
  Institute procedures for the creation, modification and use of copies of design data.
• Maintain copies electronically and in hard copy of changes made to drawings and specifications, including changes made by the design professional and by others.