Are Specwriters going the way of the Dinosaur?

In this month’s Architect, Edward Keegan does an excellent job of delineating the turmoil which the job description of “spec writer” currently seems to be under. There is no denying that the traditional picture of a dutiful technical writer, toiling away creating tomes that equal a phone book in scale, is under attack by new and disruptive technologies, online spec engines and systems and new design methodologies such as BIM. While all of this is true, the simple fact remains that you cannot complete any modern construction project with simple drawings alone, no matter how you generate those designs. You’ve got to have a full understanding of your design elements and how they relate to each other, and that relationship is always handled through the “specs”.

CSI, having just passed it’s 60th anniversary, is struggling with many contemporary issues. Declining membership, an aging member base and reluctance to embrace newer technologies among them, but the reason that CSI was founded has never changed…

CSI exists to facilitate superior communication between all facets of the construction community.

Though the methods may change, the real core of our Institute is people working together to solve community problems, and Mr. Keegan does an excellent job of showing how modern specification professionals readily use these new technological tools. He points out how Andrew Wilson, of AWC West in Los Angeles, has adapted social media tools to help him with day-to-day operations when he writes:

Wilson knows from his jobsite experience that teamwork is messy, so he’s finding better ways to work, because “there’s too much investment in Revit and not enough in collaboration tools.” He uses social media to reach his team, his clients, and anybody else who’s interested. He’s regularly on Twitter and Facebook; lists his most-visited sites at StumbleUpon; and uses the “Collection” feature on Designer Pages to inform clients and potential clients of his preferred products.

Being open to new technologies and being flexible in the rapidly changing marketplace will help position our membership to evolve as these new design systems continue to make gains in the market. I highly recommend this article and you can find it here.

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Thursday, 28 March 2024