* If voice communication is required, try Skype (free).

* Both you and provider should have access to a scanner for digitizing sketches.

* You must also have each other's postal address and telephone numbers.

(5) Have a procedure in place for conflict resolution.

(6) As far as possible, do not let go of existing staff because you are outsourcing.

Identify unfulfilled skill needs in your organization when you first think of outsourcing. Explain to relevant staff that you plan to outsource and that you will train them in those skills. If nevertheless some want to leave, they are responsible for their departure and not you.

(7) Be ready with support services and materials for your providers.

* For instance, you might have to send provider files that are in a format for which they do not have opening application. You should have software and staff to convert document into a format compatible with provider's application.

* At beginning of exercise, provider will typically have many technical questions. The task force should include staff whose time is specifically reserved for providing answers.

* Be readily available to help as much as you can. This builds confidence in provider's mind as well as a relationship between you and provider.

(8) Develop a partner relationship with provider.

* You should be partners in achieving overall goal... this could be cost reduction, process improvement, more time for your core business, expertise, flexibility and so on.

* Discuss this goal with provider, ask for their views and treat them like a department of your company.

* More research facts: In first year, important issues are contract, performance measurements and relationships (in that order); by third year, it's performance measurements, relationships, contract.

(9) Budget for outsourcing exercise.

Use this valuable observation to help you plan:

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" ... end users engaged in outsourcing indicate that, on average, users spend from 5 to 12 percent of total contract value on managing relationship"

--- The Yankee Group (in a recent study)

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CONCLUSION

* What we've just described represents latest thinking on managing a CAD outsourcing project.

* The ideas are state-of-the-art and custom-made for today's world.

* We hope you use them and that thereby your business experiences a significant increase in efficiency, earnings and competitiveness.

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Lakshman Balaraman, MSEE (University of Michigan), is Executive Director of The Magnum Group, http://themagnumgroup.net, an engineering and architectural design services company located at Chennai, India.

5. Offer benefits other than money. Money is not “be all, end all” of a relationship with your intern. Many interns are looking to learn new skills which can best be learned in a real-life scenario. They also know importance of networking and possibilities that might accrue by meeting right person at right time. In addition, if they really enjoy experience (and you do, too), they’ll want you to write them a letter of recommendation or serve as a reference in future.

There are other ways you can “compensate” your intern. Consider developing a coaching program for them which entails teaching them your business in an organized manner. Teach them steps of creating a business from scratch. By having them assist with all aspects of business, you may be opening up door for them to start their own.

Consider offering them commissioned-based compensation based upon product or service sales they close on their own. Or, you might design an internship where they can earn college credit. Contact appropriate faculty member in charge of credit-based internship programs to see if you might be able to create a development program which will fulfill some of their elective credit hour requirements. 6. Minimum requirements. Before you’re ready to contact your local college or university to place advertisement for an intern, make sure you have following information ready:

• Company Name • Company Address • Your Name • Telephone Number (you may not wish to give out your telephone number so that applicants are forced to submit resumes through fax or via email) • Fax Number • Email Address • Job Description (including complete list of expected tasks, expected number of hours to be worked, days to be worked (if necessary), hourly rate of pay (if applicable), negotiable rate (if you wish to evaluate their qualifications before setting a rate) • Type of college major desired (business administration, accountancy, finance, computer science, etc.) • How best to contact you (phone or email) and what to send (resume, letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.)

7. Contact career services. Once you’ve gathered all necessary information, contact career services center of several local colleges and universities. They will either give you online access to a system where you can input your job description information, or you can simply provide them with information and they will do it for you. Once your posting is approved, it will be made available for students to access.

8. Gather resumes and start interviewing. Allow your advertisement to be posted for at least two weeks. Start sorting through resumes right away to see who might be best fit. Begin setting up interviews immediately to find best candidate for position.

9. Interviewing. Ask both closed and open-ended questions. Closed-ended questions require a yes or no answer, whereas open-ended questions request explanation and elaboration. Find out about their prior work experience; ask for examples of how they’ve handled particular situations, all while carefully evaluating their communication skills. You might even ask for a copy of one their class papers to assess their writing skills. Make sure that you are comfortable with them in every aspect. After all, you will be entrusting them with your top priority – your business.

10. Status reports. You might consider asking your intern to fill out a weekly status report which tracks assignments completed, including how much time each task required. It will give intern a sense of accomplishment with respect to their contributions, while providing you with useful information about what has been completed.

11. Enjoy benefits. There’s so much to gain from building relationships with others. While intern is learning from you, you’ll be surprised at how much you will learn from him or her. Encourage them to take ownership and pride in what they are doing, praise and acknowledge them frequently for jobs well done, and welcome their comments, criticisms, and contributions.

Using college interns to help you with your business is not only a cost-effective way to get things done, but it’s a wonderful way to contribute to knowledge and experience of someone who might very well follow in your footsteps. In any case, it can be a win-win situation for everyone.