We have developed cloud-based specification systems, starting (believe it or not) nearly 20 years ago. Our current version is used by two of the largest specifications firms in the world (RBL and AECOM in the UK), as well as spec consultants and architects on five continents. All of our clients – which includes the specifications team at Foster+Partners – insist that it is superior to any MS Word-based solution, or any of the other commercially available specifications systems, cloud-based or otherwise.
The increase in quality comes from the removal of information silos, consistency of terminology, rapid review and update of documents, the ability to gather comment that become resident in the audit trail… there are many, many benefits. The ability to spend more time on actually concentrating on the ‘meat’ of the specifications, and not having to worry about the scut work of formatting, contract terms, etc. means that, at the end of the day, the specifications are accurate and appropriate. Profitability grows as a result of being able to put out specifications faster and better than the competition. As an example: we have a system wherein one fills out a series of checklists on an iPad, or sets up a series of assemblies (exterior walls. roofing, interior walls, floors, etc.) in an online editor, and the system drafts the entire specification in the background.
A long way of saying don’t write off cloud-based solutions. By all means, criticize the ones that are inadequate, but technology is evolving more and more towards the SAAS model, and we all are going along for the ride. We just have to be certain that the systems we use are benefits to our practice, not barriers.