When owners determine a capital project is needed, it is a business purpose driving the decision. Therefore, the purpose of designing and constructing a project is to satisfy the business need - expand capacity, introduce a new product, or a host of..
Can Capital Projects be a Profit Center?
by David Stutzman | Feb 23, 2021 | Contractor, Project Team, Specifications, Modularization, OS2
Can Architectural Firms Improve Profitability?
by David Stutzman | Jan 8, 2021 | Budget, Estimator, Architect, Specifier
The Specifier and The Big Bad Wolf
by David Stutzman | Dec 8, 2020 | UniFormat, System Product Descriptions, SPD
In the children's story of "The Big Bad Wolf", he huffs and puffs and blows each house down, except for the brick house. The other houses were built of other materials which were destroyed. However, what if the little pigs worked with a specifier..
What's the Project Budget?
by David Stutzman | Jun 16, 2020 | Budget, Architect, design decisions
The Problem
When Are Your Bulletins Planned?
by David Stutzman | May 19, 2020 | Architect
As projects approach the date designated as "Issue for Construction (IFC)," design teams begin planning what portions of the design will be completed in a bulletin. The level of effort needed to complete the documents is usually underestimated,..
Cartoon the spec - Just like the drawings
by David Stutzman | Apr 28, 2020 | Engineer, Architect, Specifications
Saving time is great. Improving firm profitability may mean a promotion. Is it worth a try?
Who are all these people?
by David Stutzman | Apr 21, 2020 | Meeting Minutes, Pandemic
The world changed, nearly overnight. The once common in-person project meetings were replaced by virtual meetings. Participants searching for the right audio and video settings during the first moments of the meeting are now the norm. Why must I be..
Want to Improve Project Delivery? Communicate!
by David Stutzman | Jun 3, 2019 | COAA, Communication, Conspectus approach, LCI, Professional Practice, Specifications, transparency, UniFormat
Recently, Conspectus participated in two conferences: Construction Owners Association of America (COAA) and Lean Construction Institute's Lean in Design Forum. Both groups are searching for a means to improve construction project delivery with some..
Complications of Sustainability Requirements
by David Stutzman | Dec 18, 2018 | Bad Specs, Division 01, EPD, LEED, Professional Practice, Quality Assurance, Specifications, submittals, Sustainable Design
What could possibly go wrong?
UniFormat is a Design Decision Tool
by David Stutzman | Dec 4, 2018 | MasterFormat, PPDFormat, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Specifications, UniFormat
When starting a new design project, what is actually known? Very little. The relevant design decisions must be made as the project progresses. So how can projects be effectively documented before all decisions are made? UniFormat™!