The focus of this blog is construction-related topics. The purpose is discussion, so please feel free to comment! See Specific thoughts for thoughts from the daily life of a specifier.

23 June 2014

Where have I heard that before?


"It is probable that few members of the profession will disagree [that] the preparation of specifications receives less study and attention in proportion to its importance than any other phase of architectural or engineering practice. It is generally conceded that there is need for accurate, concise, yet comprehensive specifications in order to secure the best results from any set of plans. In our architectural schools … instruction in specification writing has been neglected to such an extent that those to whom the task of specification writing has fallen have usually been forced to educate themselves. As a natural sequence of this condition we find too many inaccurate and incomplete documents accompanying drawings under the guise of specifications."

If you participate in or visit CSI groups on LinkedIn, or follow discussions on 4specs.com, or talk with just about any specifier, it's likely you have heard similar comments. Most of those who work with specifications appreciate their value, and believe that, to be effective, they must contain all the information needed by the contractor, they must not contain irrelevant information, and they must be easy to understand. Following is more of the comment from which I took the opening quotation.
"IT is probable that few members of the profession will disagree with the statement that, considered broadly, the preparation of specifications receives less study and attention in proportion to its importance than any other phase of architectural or engineering practice. It is generally conceded that there is need for accurate, concise, yet comprehensive specifications in order to secure the best results from any set of plans. Yet to many architects and engineers the task of their preparation is onerous, and in order to produce a written document to accompany the drawings they sometimes even resort to the re-working of old specifications. It is usually discovered later that they do not accurately apply to the work in hand.
"In our architectural schools … instruction in specification writing has been neglected to such an extent that those to whom the task of specification writing has fallen have usually been forced to educate themselves. As a natural sequence of this condition we find too many inaccurate and incomplete documents accompanying drawings under the guise of specifications.

"It is because of these conditions that THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT notes with the greatest satisfaction the initiation of a movement to organize The American Specification Institute along the lines of the National Professional Societies.

"It is obvious that The American Specification Institute should have as its fundamental purpose the education of its membership so as to assure better and more uniform specifications, the dissemination of information relating to the production of raw materials, their manufacture or fabrication into finished products, and how, when and where to use the different materials. When the specification writer has acquired a thorough understanding of the materials and equipment described and called for in his specifications he will be able to write more intelligently and produce a document that will furnish protection alike to the client, the architect, the builder and the manufacturer.
The above was printed in 1920, in The American Architect, a periodical that was published from 1876 through 1938, when it was absorbed by Architectural Record. In following issues, readers responded.
"The average architect beginning practice to-day knows very little about this most important phase of his work. He little knows how much stress a client will put on his knowledge of stone and concrete; the grades of lumber; the most efficient kinds of paint for various purposes; what constitutes the various grades of glass; plumbing goods; hardware and electrical work. The architect to correctly specify must know these things intelligently and intimately so that he may not only be in a position to advise the client but to advise the builder if necessary. Architecture is the art of building thoroughly even as much as making buildings attractive." Heacock & Hokanson

"It occurs to me that architects in the past have paid altogether too little attention to this important phase of their work, and too little opportunity for development has been given to those men who are engaged in specification writing. The result of this has been that often our well-conceived projects have been poorly constructed, and proper provision has too often not been made to protect various materials in the proper manner." H. Kenneth Franzheim, architect

"I agree that the specification practice of most architects offices is the least creditable part of their work, due probably to several things: First, … in an effort to hasten the work, old specifications for similar buildings are often rehashed and made over with a greater or lesser degree of success, mostly less. Secondly, specifications are to the majority of architects the least interesting part of their work, the very essential to the best interests of their client." An old subscriber

"Most specification writers receive their training at the present time solely in the school of experience, which is, of course, excellent, but does not cover the entire ground, for the reason that these men are usually the product of training of one or two offices which have their individual methods." Wm. O. Ludlow, architect
Not everyone agreed. I recently heard an architect express an opinion similar to the following.
"We, of course, do not approve of any institution that would seek to standardize so important a document as a specification, because we believe that personality and creativeness enter as much into this branch of the architect's work as in matters of design and execution of drawings. We do not believe that you can make specification specialists because we believe the specification maker must be imbued with all the art and questions of accomplishing a building and it is a subject as intimate as the architect himself." Edwards & Sayward
Isn't it interesting that we're voicing the same concerns now as were expressed nearly a hundred years ago?

10 comments:

  1. The more things change the more they stay the same. It amazes me that these remarks from so long ago still sound so familiar today. We who are members of CSI need to continue stressing the importance of written specifications to construction communications and the business of building. Perhaps someday (soon hopefully) comments like these will truly seem old-fashioned.

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    1. Given the history, I hope you're not holding your breath!

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  2. Just like the top 5 risks in architecture have not changed in over 40 years.
    1. Failure to supervise inexperienced employees.
    2. Inadequate project coordination and in-house communication.
    3. Failure to communicate between the prime professional and the consultants.
    4. Lack of quality control on design changes.
    5. Poorly worded contract documents.

    Correlation? I think so! It is amazing how important those specifications become to everybody once a conflict arises yet they can't be bothered to just get it right in the first place. What will it take? a 2x4 upside the head :)

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    1. What was it the transmission ad said? "You can pay me now - or you can pay me later!" Doing it right the first time should save time and money in the long run, but experience must show that it's worth the risk to fix it later. Well, at least until you get bit. Maybe something a bit heftier than a 2 x 4 ...

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  3. "Secondly, specifications are to the majority of architects the least interesting part of their work, the very essential to the best interests of their client" - couldn't have said it better yesterday or today.

    I recently saw a job posting for a spec writer in a very large national firm. Experience requirement: 1-2 years, must also be CCS. On what planet will this job be located?

    Would be interested to know what happened with the American Specifications Institute? And how it took another 30 years to form CSI.

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    1. It's possible to get a CCS with two years' experience as a specifier, but if I were hiring, I'd want someone who had been around the block a few more years than that. There's book learnin', and there's the School of Hard Knocks.

      More on the American Specification Institute to come. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any direct ties between ASI and CSI, even though what I have seen suggests CSI's founders may have been familiar with ASI.

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    2. The last opinion was the most interesting to me: "we believe that personality and creativeness enter as much into this branch of the architect's work as in matters of design and execution of drawings." Do you know if the architect that you heard recently express a similar opinion had ever actually prepared project specifications?

      I believe that in order to prepare a great set of project specifications, the author needs the same problem-solving abilities that someone who is good at producing, or overseeing the production of, a great set of construction drawings needs. In that sense, I agree with part of that person's opinion.

      But the standardization of specifications helps people achieve the goal of a great set of specs, by freeing up their time and mental energy to pull all the standardized pieces together, and fill in the gaps that standardization can't meet.

      If not for master specification products, which couldn't exist without standards for specifications, many of us who prepare specs wouldn't have been brave enough to jump in, and start doing this work. The master specification products don't do everything for us, but they give us a great start. Starting from scratch, without some standards, sounds like an endless creative writing project. I don't have time for that.

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    3. Several architects I know bridle at the notion that they can't have whatever they want; they see specifications - and me - as obstacles to their creative spirit. Of course, that's what they're taught in school, where big D design reigns supreme, and there is little concern for the harsh reality of getting something built. The architect I mentioned as having a similar opinion didn't go as far as to object to standardized specifications; he just didn't like what he saw as interference with his design. Excuse me, Design.

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  4. Specific and clear language helps to make a project less ambiguous to all the stakeholders in the design and construction teams. However, the reality of the situation is that owners do not want to PAY for this service. As shortsighted as this may be, we as architects and engineers must take the role to educate our clients and the public of this important area of design!

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    1. I think it's more that designers are afraid to pay for it, and are willing to gamble on incomplete and uncoordinated documents rather than incur more cost. Until there is solid evidence that better documents results in fewer problems, it will be hard to convince designers to make the investment.

      From the owner's perspective, why should I even know about this problem? I'm certain that complete, correct, coordinated documents are the owner's expectation.

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