Length: 2 Days
Technical Specification Writing
Technical Specification Writing provides “hands-on” experience in developing technical specifications for the procurement of goods and services. Participants will develop a thorough understanding of the specification writing process and how to incorporate skills learned into current and future specifications project and procurement. Participants will learn by practical application in addition to classroom activities.
Who Should Attend
Anyone who wants to learn the fundamental skills in planning, developing and writing technical specifications including engineers, architects, project managers, attorneys, legal, testers, operations and maintenance and procurement professionals. Veteran purchasers who want to improve their technical writing skills. Non-purchasing staff who prepare and submit user requirements to purchasing departments.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of technical specifications writing training, the participants will:
- Learn the fundamentals of technical writing needed for specification planning, development, and enhancements.
- Compare and contrast different types of specifications and their applications.
- Learn the importance key of language use in specification writing.
- Learn how to write clear, concise, complete, consistent, unambiguous specifications
- Write a clear, concise, complete and well formatted technical specification during the class workshop.
- List Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) divisions of the contract.
- Describe the basics of master format and construction specifications system.
Course Agenda
Introduction to Specification Writing
- Master specifications
- Comprehensive technical specifications
- Organization of Specifications
- Specification language and context
- Specification syntax
- Specification styles and formats
- Drawings, Forms and Standards in the Specifications
- Codes
- Units of measurement
- Methods of specifying
- Descriptive
- Performance
- Reference Standard
- Proprietary
- Tools and techniques for structuring specifications
- American Institute of Architects (AIA)
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
- Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)
- Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) (In Canada)
- Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) best practices and specification organization
- Contract Requirements and Specification Writing Styles
- Management of the Requirements
- Formats and Styles
- Prescriptive vs. Objective
- Drawings, Forms and Standards in the Specifications
Specifications Writing Process
- Creating Effective Procedures for Writing and Controlling
- Specifications
- Roles and responsibilities of the key players
- Scope of the specification
- Statement of Requirements
- Design and performance criteria
- Functional characteristics
- Performance characteristics
- Technical characteristics
- Reporting requirements
- Standards
- How to avoid unnecessary details
Challenges in Writing the Specifications
- Specifications Writing Techniques
- Develop the objectives of specification writing
- Data requirements in Specifications
- Descriptive specifications
- Performance specifications
- Reference standard
- Scoping and defining needs
- Assessing the audience
- Writing Technically
- Methods of specifications writing development
- A common framework for producing timely, error-free specifications
Technical Writing Challenges
- Wording of Specifications
- Editing and Controlling the Specifications
- Drafting Conventions
- In Class Activity
- Teams will study a simple specification for feedback and discussion
- Workshops will focus on Specification Writing Best Practices and Critical Communication
- Planning: know your audience
- Clarity: avoid Jargon and define the unfamiliar
- Simplicity: use details wisely
- Word Choice: needless complexity and ambiguity
- Active Voice: strong verbs and natural sound
- Committing to Writing as a Process