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Deliberate Words
by Conspectus, Inc. - decision managers, word masters, aggregators. There is tremendous power in a word that is perfectly placed at the best location, at the best time, during the design and construction process of a project. Deliberate words can manage success, build trust, and provide transparency that every member of the project team craves. As decision managers of the team, Conspectus explores the notion of how transparency transforms three main components of every project: behavior, content, and outcomes, through the appropriate usage of words. Behavior of every participant, is the foundation communication and collaboration, through deliberate words. It will transform the team, and build strong relationships. Content, the documentation built on these relationships, containing deliberate words, is then transformed. The outcome is a successful project, with a legacy of ultimate collaboration. Join us as we chat with members of the architectural, engineering, construction, and owner communities to learn how deliberate word shape their contributions, their projects, and their world! Through these conversations, words aggregate decisions, and transforms perspectives on transparency in the decision-making process.
Deliberate Words
What A Week! Informational Submittals: What NOT to Ask For
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In this week's episode, Dave Stutzman, Steve Gantner, and Elias Saltz unpack a deceptively simple question with serious implications: Why don’t we recommend requiring manufacturer instructions as a submittal? What follows is a candid discussion on liability, means and methods, and the unintended consequences of asking for information that design teams neither control nor should be reviewing during construction. From informational submittals to samples that add little value, the team reinforces a core principle of good specification practice: clarity during design reduces risk, rework, and unnecessary burden during construction administration.
Learning Points:
- Requesting manufacturer instructions as a submittal can increase architect liability, even if reviewed “for record only.”
- Simply receiving information implies responsibility to review, identify errors, and act on them.
- Manufacturer instructions fall squarely within contractor means and methods, not design review.
- Submittals are not contract documents and should not be used to tweak design decisions late in the process.
- Fewer, more intentional submittals save significant time and cost during construction administration.
- Product compatibility issues must be resolved during design, not after bidding or procurement.
- Over-specifying submittals often exceeds realistic CA budgets and site observation scope.
- Clear specifications reduce change orders, finger-pointing, and downstream risk.