Cross-Discipline Consistency in Specifications

Coordinated documentation between Architects, Engineers and Consultants is essential.

Inconsistency in drawings and specifications across disciplines creates ambiguity, leading to a host of problems for the design team, Contractors and project stakeholders, such as:

• Rework, erosion of fees and reputational damage.
• Coordination errors and constructability issues.
• Project cost overruns and programme creep.
• Misinterpretation of the design intent.
• Regulatory non-compliance.

Sound fun? Far from it.

Here are our top tips for improving cross-discipline consistency for your next project.

Project-wide Engagement

1. Coordinated Approach Upfront:

• Before commencing documentation, agree on a standardised approach across the design teams. This may be outlined in the Project Brief and if not, coordinate with the Lead Consultant or Project Manager to ensure all disciplines are on the same page.
• Agree on specification, drawing and notation formats.
• Establish a document control regime.
• Nominate the method of producing documentation, via a 3D modelling software (to suit the project complexities) and specification production tool.
• Adopt a collaborative mindset, nothing positive comes from working in silos.

2. Delineate Scope Across Disciplines:

• Let’s face it, no one wants to do other people’s jobs, and the person to do the job should be the person best suited to do it well.
• Engage with the project team early, clearly define the scope you are responsible for delivering, and work collaboratively with other disciplines to resolve all interfaces.
• Consider engaging external Specification Consultants who can take a holistic view of specification production across disciplines and avoid some of the below pitfalls.

3. Identify Scope Gaps and Possible Duplications:

Below are some common cross-discipline scope gaps and coordination issues that need resolution:

1. Protective coating to structural steel: Is protective coating the Structural Engineer’s scope to specify, and if so, where exposed to view, will the decorative top coat satisfy the Architect’s design intent?
2. Or should the Structural Engineer specify the primer coat only and the Architect specify the decorative top coats?
3. What if the Structural Engineer specified a galvanised finish, can a decorative top coat be applied that will achieve the required warranty periods? Who warrants the coating, the galvaniser or the paint applicators?
4. Or should the Architect specify the entire build-up of the system where exposed, to provide accountability and achieve a full system warranty?  

External louvres:

• Are external louvres the Mechanical Engineer’s scope to specify, and if so, where exposed to view, will the finish match the Architect’s design intent?
• Or should the Mechanical Engineer specify the louvre type and the Architect only specify the finish?
• Or should the Architect specify the louvre type and the finish and refer to the Mechanical Engineer’s documentation for open air ratios? If that’s the case, the specified louvres better be able to accommodate those values.

Paving:

• Is paving the Landscape Architect’s scope to specify, and where the paving interfaces with internal areas, do the specified pavers match the Architect’s design intent?
• What if no Landscape Architect is engaged yet, does the Architect specify the paving, along with the sub-base and any waterproofing membranes?
• What if the same external hard surface traverses the threshold to interior areas? Who specifies that finish? The Architect, the Landscape Architect, or both?

Exposed concrete finishes:

• Are exposed concrete finishes the Structural Engineer’s responsibility to specify, and if so, does the specified finish match the Architect’s desired aesthetics?
• Or should the Structural Engineer purely design and specify the technical and performance requirements of the concrete and the Architect specify the finish?
• If there is an internal polished concrete floor (not to be confused with honed which is a grind and seal, not mechanically polished with varying grit levels), and there is a separate Interior Designer engaged, who specifies this?

Can Technology Save The Day

1. Keynote allocations:

• As Specification Consultants, one of the challenges faced when documenting using keynotes in a 3D model, is providing a keynote structure across all disciplines that is not only intuitive, but structured and easy to navigate.
• Is it reasonable to expect Contractors to understand differing keynote methodologies across disciplines within the same project?
• A sure way of increasing the risk profile of a project is having duplicated keynotes across disciplines.

Technological offers:

• Cloud-based Scheduling and Specification platforms can assist with setting up a baseline set of keynotes, that follow a strategic and logical order and allocates keynotes across the various disciplines.
• These are great starting points, but users must endorse the system and receive adequate training to ensure the coordinated approach (as mentioned earlier) is executed.
• Technology is a project tool, it won’t do all the work for you, but it can make your job easier.

What’s the Takeaway?

By adopting a philosophy of collective ownership across the design disciplines and taking early and regular steps in shared responsibility to avoid siloed thinking, you can minimise inconsistencies in the project documentation.

By engaging the project wide team early, clearly articulating the documentation strategy, delineating scopes and intelligent use of technology, you are well on your way to avoiding some difficult conversations with project stakeholders.

Could your next project benefit from an external pair of eyes? Perhaps a Specification Consultancy to manage and coordinate the disciplines specifications, or utilise a digital cloud-based ecosystem with an in-built keynote structure and product library?

Then reach out to us, and let’s improve the natural and built environment with every project together.

www.earlymark.com

Engage with Us:

What initiatives have you or your business implemented to ensure cross-discipline consistency? Share your moments of wisdom in the comments below.