Having remembered, and already acquired my wife’s primary Christmas gift, I now am in the spirit; soooooooo…
With only your spec writer’s hat on, what gift would you like to receive to facilitate your work; modify your work; make your work better, faster; to support your work; to educate or instruct about your work, and other such "work gifts? [a hefty raise, hourly kudos, barrels of strong drink, a gold watch, and similar professional “stimulants” should not be included] What truly bugs you or is missing in your work that you would like a gift to resolve?
Some consultants with an understanding that Word/WordPerfect is something more than just a typewriter with a screen. So, a gift certificate to a series of classes for them would make a great present for me.
My perfect gift would be for ALL colleges and universities to include an actual course on Specifications and their role in design and construction. It should be based upon the CDT program and include successfully completing the CDT Exam. What a Wonderful World it would be if all graduate architects/engineers/etc. had an understanding of what a project Manual is and what it takes to create one!
Back to reality. But there really isnt anything of a physical nature that I need to improve my working condition. Ive got fast computers, printers, internet access: comfortable chair and air conditioning: plenty of pencils and paper: and the autonomy to manage my workload. My biggest hassle is the time and energy it takes to explain, to folks who should already know, the process of selecting products and conveying the salient data (ALL of the data) to me for the spec.
I’d like a computer with a DWIM key (do what I mean). Keyboard would be simple to use, just a single DWIM key. Press the DWIM key and you get what you want rather than what you told the computer to do.
(Not originally my idea, but a good one nonetheless)
I would like to have the foresight to know now what I won’t know for many years. The wisdom, special knowledge, technical expertise, and general humility and patience that I believe it truly takes to be a great spec writer.
If not that, then I just want one person to walk into my office today, right now, and say, hey Brett, thanks, you are doing a great job, and mean it.
If nothing else, at least relieve me of this rash.
I would like a new model of crystal ball (I use my present model to read designers’ minds) to see if us specifiers will be obsolete in the near future. Our Architectural Applications Specialist (a.k.a. CAD guy) came back from Autodesk University and said a software company will be sending me information about a program that integrates specs into CAD. Ahh, they have enough to think about. Let designers design and specifiers specify!
Ralph, now you can relax now that you have your wife’s gift. Any gift ideas?
Ah, Steve- let designers design! let CAD folks CAD! let spec writers spec!!! Me thinks only such "compartmentation is necessary, vital, professionally sound, and correct. If the truth be known and my opinion is worth anything-- CAD Designer, or Architectural Designer [with only CAD or Associate degree training] is an oxymoron.
Have done a piece on “BIM Before BIM” which might interest you [Other Articles below on this site]
Gifts-- nice jewelry; clothes you like, even if she returns it, you’ve made your point!. Stay away from appliances and underwear.
I just had my review and said that I wanted to be listed as part of the quality control on all our proposals and listed as part of the team on all of our awards submissions. I figure if we can list “the sustainability coordinator” we can list the specification writer…
Steven T. Lawrey wrote: “a software company will be sending me information about a program that integrates specs into CAD.”
Hope you like AEC Daily specs, because I think that is what is headed your way. I heard they struck a deal to include their mfg specs into AutoCAD, either directly or through a link to their site where you download.
What I want for x-mas are project managers who know how to put a building together, schools that teach these individuals to think, and firms that allow employees to experience the entire building process by getting their butts kicked by Contractors when they screw up…You learn by doing it, not being protected in the office or being promoted to a higher position.
I could use a two-tier bookshelf that holds product binders and fits under my desk.
I’d like a pretty wall calendar that fits on my cubicle wall, which is unusually short. (Pretty like high-design, or maybe art deco, not pretty like pictures of cats with big eyes.)
I’d like some really good scheduling software that will take what I know (how long it ought to take me to write a project’s specs, and when they’re due) and tell me what I don’t know (when to work on each, and whether I have time to take on one more thing). And then train me to use it.
I’d like a preternaturally comfortable stool that fits under my return when not in use, so that my visitors will be comfortable, and perhaps even impressed with my style sense and accessibility. I might even sit on it myself once in a while.
I’d like the perfect vase, one that won’t tip over easily when holding peonies, that is fairly hip looking, and which arranges the flowers artfully because of its shape. And maybe an ikebana prong set that fits it, in case I have just three flowers. (This is a professional wish because I use flowers to help my co-workers see that I’m not a troglodyte tech geek.)
And I want my alma mater to send my firm another really rockin’ intern who makes ME look good just by being his or her rockin’ smart responsive creative self, and by being from my alma mater. Heck, I might even be convinced to be a “good” girl and contribute to said alma mater, if they gave me that intern for Christmas!
At my office, everyone has a rolling 2-drawer unit that fits under the return and has a nice cushion on top. We got them from Tangram. Don’t know if they were off-the-shelf or custom-made, but they are very cool!
P.S. We are looking for an architect with good spec-writing/quality assurance experience, if you live in southern California…
But one of my wishes has been granted by this discussion forum and the terrific specification writers, product representatives and others who contribute to it.
Joyous Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Rohatsu, Merry Yule, and blessed Zarathosht Diso. And if I missed any, I apologize; may your season/holiday be all that you desire.
Youve enlightened my day. Never once have I thought of arranged flowers in my office. Interesting touch, however - it might be nice to spruce up the old place.
While I have never associated myself with being a troglodyte, I have been accused of the being a troll since I dont always come out from under my bridge. Little difference, I guess. Do troglodytes have a special flower? Do specifiers have a special flower? … cactus?
