Documenting Decisions
Processes and Tools
Designed for Owners, Architects, Design-Builders, and Construction Managers
Documenting and Managing Specifications
Documenting and Managing Decisions through Specifications
The Conspectus approach captures and preserves increasingly complex information, provides data for incremental cost analysis of proposed design and construction options, and documents all decisions as they are made.
Comprehensive
Systems and Performance Descriptions
Because today’s project teams often find it necessary to make important decisions much earlier in construction projects than ever before, Conspectus takes a descriptive approach that focuses more intently on defining systems and performance than on specific design solutions, products, and materials at the early project stages.
This approach opens up opportunities for designers to explore system and assembly options before committing to a single design decision. It incorporates rigorous value analysis of the options to compare cost impacts, potential risks, and performance differences. This supports a robust design solution informed by professional judgment and aligned with owner requirements. It also helps avoid reactive value engineering after the design is completed, which can change project scope, add work, and significantly disrupt schedules.
A Continuous Information Stream
As the design process unfolds, we continuously add and update information about system components (products and materials) to help improve the accuracy of project estimates and manage cost and time more effectively. We organize both design data and project estimates following UniFormat, a methodology originally developed by estimators. This consistency helps eliminate gaps in information flow, enables easier system comparisons, and supports optimal decision making at each critical project milestone.
Delivering on Owner's Requirements
Our early emphasis on supporting data-based design decisions and then documenting them and their rationale lays the foundation for contractually required specifications and the final set of construction documents. Having a single repository of comprehensive documentation accessible by all fosters transparency and collaboration, which means fewer RFIs, change orders, delays, claims, and disputes. It also ensures that the owner’s requirements remain the focus of design decisions throughout the process.
Complete, accurate specifications for all stakeholders
Construction Specifications
Our certified professionals have what it takes to deliver the highest quality specifications. They understand the design process, see beyond the drawings, and know constructability at a deep and practical level. Working at the intersection of design and construction, they integrate design solutions into specifications and construction documents that articulate contractual requirements and improve communication and coordination among all parties. The result is reliable cost estimates, improved construction efficiencies, and finished projects that meet all expectations and requirements.
Experience, Expertise, Sound Judgement
With a mastery of advanced systems and tools, we use data and analysis of products, systems, materials, and performance factors to make smart choices and recommendations. Our team’s multidisciplinary training and knowledge of compliance, systems, and regional variations enable us to deal with complexity and change. Our experience and perspective gained in working on wide-ranging projects domestically and internationally have prepared us to meet any challenge and to empower the design team to do the job right the first time.
A One-Stop Specifications Provider
We offer a broad range of specifications services tailored to the needs of all stakeholders: owners, designers, builders, engineers, insurers, and manufacturers. We work with all specifications formats, including UniFormat and MasterFormat, to provide the documentation required at each process milestone. We also work closely with major design-builders to develop specs tailored to their particular needs. We offer specialized knowledge of VA Master Specifications and SpecsIntact, a unique specification software editing package used for projects for the US military services.