The word mystery is derived from Middle English, French, and Latin. In ancient Greek, the word mystery was defined as a secret rite. A mystery is something secret or unexplainable, an obscure puzzle, or a secret craft or trade. Building product specification can be a mystery for novices entering the construction industry.

“We humans, facing limits of knowledge, and things we do not observe, the unseen and the unknown, resolve tension by squeezing life and the world into crisp, commoditized ideas, reductive categories, specific vocabularies, and prepackaged narratives, which on the occasion, have explosive consequences,” says author Nassim Taleb.

Without years of experience in the industry, it can be impossible for those entering the AEC profession to understand the intricacies of product specification. How are specification decisions made? What are common misunderstandings during the process? Let’s examine three issues for novices trying to wrap their head around specification.

Don’t Visit the Wrong Person

Newcomers to the industry may be disappointed if they walk into an AEC firm and ask to speak to an architect to get their product specified. Different AEC offices have different employees performing a multitude of tasks. There are design architects, technical architects, and architects who specialize in the various phases of the construction project. In addition, there are landscape architects, engineers, and interior designers.

It is crucial that when visiting an AEC firm, that a product rep target the appropriate person in the firm as to not waste their time or the design professional’s time. In small offices, the owners or partners might be the correct person to speak with. In mid-sized firms, it might be project architects, project managers, or even a spec writer. In large firms, good luck . . .

Phases of Construction

Most design projects follow a path described in the AIA “Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect”. There are five major phases for most construction projects. Building product reps need to approach design professionals at the appropriate phase of a project. Is the project in the Design Development phase? Is the project in the midst of the Contract Documents phase?

Design-oriented products are typically selected in the earlier phases of construction. Glass, brick, exterior cladding, and stone are examples. Technically-oriented products would be typically selected later in the project. Examples could include floor coatings and joint sealers. A building product rep must understand where their product fits into the various phases of construction.

Design Parameters

Building product reps need to understand the various design parameters and requirements for specific projects. Will the design professional consider a new and untested product that has just been launched? Or do they want a tried and tested product? Are there equivalent products? Is the product sustainable and does it meet LEED v4 requirements?

Design professionals may consider may parameters, including safety, accessibility, durability, the manufacturer’s reputation, warranty, and codes and standards. A standard building project contains thousands of decisions. Architects are constantly flooded with new products from reps. It is critical that building product reps approach the design professional at the right phase of the project and with the product that best serves the project.

If a building product rep fails to get their product specified on a given project, it’s important to remember this: “success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." How does your company ensure success for product specification?