Well, you’ll find them everywhere in the forums year after year: users that point out bugs and problems present in practically every version of SolidWorks. Users that have found that some of the new functionality offered doesn’t really work or doesn’t satisfy their needs. For the rest of us, it may seem hard to understand where they are coming from, until we stumble across one of the same bugs or problem areas they warned us about.

Many of us are not likely to need all the tools and functionality available in SolidWorks, we are likely to stick to a few common tools and features that work just fine and satisfy our needs, at least for now. It is other users, those that require the “added bonus” tools for the kind of design they do (like mold design, sheet metal, etc.), that are more likely to identify the bugs and problems present in the software when they arise. In his blog, Matt Lombard explains this situation much better than I could possibly do.

It was hard for me to understand how it could be possible that those bugs and problems could make it to the final release of the software and/or continue to be present in subsequent versions, so I asked my husband, who works as Director of Product Marketing in a non-CAD related company (his company designs and manufactures chips that make things like Blu-ray players possible) to explain a few things to me.  First of all, he told me  about the 80-20 rule. It simply means that as a company, you can’t be everything for everybody. You basically satisfy the needs of at least 80% of your customers, and you better keep your biggest and best customers inside that 80%.

When I asked him about what takes priority, adding new functionality or repairing existing bugs, he told me that it all depends. Basically, it depends on how many customers are really affected by the bug, how relevant it is, and who the customer is. In other words, they may hear you clearer if your name is SONY, than if you are some little company in the middle of nowhere that  doesn’t really buy big amounts from them. He also explained to me about the need to stay ahead of the competition by releasing new products (chips) on a regular schedule. This would explain why new software is released every year, instead of every other year or so.

But how do they decide what new features to add to their next version of a chip and what they can really do without? Well, this is where it gets a bit complicated, because, as he explained to me, they need to keep track of where the market is going, what their competitors are doing, what the investors think, and, last but not least, what their customers want and need.

I believe that SolidWorks, as a corporation, also values the opinion of the customer, the user of the software, and that’s why it is important to voice that opinion through requests for enhancements or changes, that should not be interpreted as mere complaints or rants against the software, but as constructive criticism. After all, if we never say a thing, how will they know if our needs are being met or not? We share the same goal, I think: a better, more reliable product.

Earlier today, I received an email about a new and exciting opportunity that is being prepared by SolidWorks and that is called SolidWorks Real Insights community. This is an elite group of about 300 engineering design professionals who serve as virtual advisors, helping to shape the future of CAD. This is the perfect opportunity to really make a difference, to voice those needs and help make sure they are met. You may have heard or will probably hear about it real soon through your user group. If you think you may be able to make a valuable contribution, I encourage you to apply for membership. There’s an online questionnaire you will have to fill out, but all your information is kept confidential. If you are invited to join after filling out this qualifying questionnaire, you’ll be asked to contribute your thoughts on-line via surveys, discussions and chats. Ask your user group leader about it, and if you haven’t joined a user group yet, well, what are you waiting for? Go to the SolidWorks User Group Network and find a group for you today!