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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! Reference Standards: Say It Once. Say It In The Right Place.
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In this episode, Dave Stutzman, Steve Gantner, and Elias Saltz tackle a deceptively simple question that carries real contractual risk: Where should reference standards live in the specifications, and should they be dated? Reference standards belong in Part 2 of the technical sections, not in consolidated lists. Avoid listing dates unless a specific edition is required by code. Rely on Division 01 Quality Requirements to govern which standards apply. Saying things once, in the right place, reduces conflicts, RFIs, and unnecessary risk.
Learning Points
- Industry insight: Reference standards create more risk through duplication and dating than through omission when they are not placed intentionally.
- Practice takeaway: Keep reference standards in Part 2 of technical sections and let Division 01 govern applicability to avoid conflicts.
- Process lesson: Saying things once, in the right place, is the simplest way to improve clarity and reduce downstream rework.
- Risk or opportunity: Eliminating dated, consolidated reference lists reduces RFIs and protects the contract from unnecessary ambiguity.
- People & culture: Good specifications reflect disciplined thinking, shared responsibility, and respect for how teams actually use the documents.