This episode offers a rare peek behind the curtain at how a specification platform is developed by the very practitioners who use it every day, experienced specifiers who write construction documents and coordinate design intent on active projects. Rather than a traditional software roadmap, the conversation reveals how real project challenges, user feedback, and daily workflow friction drive feature development. The Elias Saltz, Steve Gantner, and David Stutzman discuss how even seemingly simple ideas require extensive “what-if” discussions, technical evaluation, and collaboration with developers. A current effort to enable multi-firm collaboration highlights the complexity behind decisions that affect document control and shared content. What makes the discussion unique is hearing specifiers explain how their real-world experience shapes the evolution of the tool. The result is a candid look at how practical project needs translate into software features designed to support better collaboration and documentation.
“We wrote the software for us… and now we’re in the middle of trying to break those barriers.”
Learning Points
Industry insight:
Developing tools for construction documentation is inherently iterative, shaped by real project use rather than a fixed roadmap.
Practice takeaway:
User suggestions, real-world workflows, and day-to-day friction points are often the strongest drivers for meaningful feature improvements.
Process lesson:
Even small feature requests can create cascading impacts, requiring extensive discussion, prioritization, and testing before implementation.
Risk or opportunity:
Without careful evaluation, new features can disrupt existing workflows; thoughtful development creates opportunities for better collaboration and efficiency.
People & culture:
Open dialogue between users, specifiers, and developers encourages transparency and leads to more practical, usable solutions.
Elias Saltz, Steve Gantner, David Stutzman
