Specifications are a key contract document that, when implemented throughout your business correctly, can help to mitigate risk as well as achieve the full design vision of a project.
The specification is one of the key deliverables of any architect, but have you considered how your business is arriving at that end product? Does your business give the specification process the appropriate level of attention?
Architects are facing a new set of challenges. Specifications now need to respond to the challenges, including Building Safety Act and its associated legislation, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), professional indemnity, cladding, copyright, Brexit and the post-COVID landscape.
As the construction industry continues to evolve, the way in which businesses manage, coordinate, collaborate and prepare specifications must adapt accordingly. Unnecessary – and avoidable – risk is created both for the project and practice when the specification produced is unsuitable. Over 15% of construction project delays are down to poor specification, which can lead to extra costs, disputes and even legal action.
Because specification tools, such as NBS Chorus, have become more intelligent, the time spent on producing specifications has been reduced. However, the traditional principles still remain and are as relevant as ever.
Behind every final specification must sit a well-organised process. It must be carried out by team members who understand the project, but who will also ensure that your specification is suitable, appropriate, robust and consistent.
When producing a specification, there are several things that must still be considered:
- Do you have appropriate and robust baseline documents within your business for use on all projects?
- Are your quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) and checking systems in place?
- Are you using the most appropriate tools, techniques and working practices that allow quality documents to be prepared?
- Do your specifications focus on procurement and contract requirements?
- Are your staff suitably skilled to prepare, check, maintain and continuously improve baselines and project specifications?
- Does your business capture previous knowledge and learnings for use on the next project?
- Are you making best use of system libraries such as NBS Source and linking this to building information modelling (BIM)?
- For global businesses, or those with multiple offices, is your specification practice consistent?
- Are you continuously training your staff in the field of specifications?
Businesses that are able to effectively combine tools such as NBS Chorus with a well-managed approach to specifications will ultimately be able to minimise risk and provide quality documentation to back up the design.
Every business is different, and each has its own situational factors to navigate, such as risk, resources, capabilities and location. Your practice is unique, and therefore the way you implement specifications will also be unique.
NBS Schumann, the specification writing and consultancy service from NBS, has a specialised team of consultants who have been writing specifications for over 40 years and offer a range of specification services, including full-service specification-writing solutions, specification management and specification reviews. With NBS Schumann’s vast knowledge and unparalleled experience of creating robust specifications, you can rest assured that the final document will fulfil all of the necessary contractual obligations and avoid unnecessary risk for your practice.
More information
Find out more about NBS Schumann's specification writing and consultancy services here, or get in touch to find out how tools like NBS Chorus can help to minimise risk for your projects.
