Writing Engineering Specifications

by Fitchett; Paul

• ISBN13: 9780415263030
• ISBN10: 0415263034
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2002-06-07
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Engineers need to understand the legal and commercial context in which they draw up technical specifications. This thoroughly up-dated edition of Haslam's successful Writing Engineering Specificationsprovides a concise guide to technical specifications and leads the reader through the process of writing these instructions, with clear advice to help the student and professional avoid legal disputes or the confusion and time wasting caused by poor drafting. Designers and project managers should find this invaluable, and it should be helpful to insurers, lawyers, estimators and the like.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	ix
Introduction	1	(2)
Specifications in context	3	(26)
Introduction	3	(1)
Contracts and bargains	3	(10)
Tendering and negotiation	13	(6)
Hierarchy of documents	19	(2)
Degree of definition	21	(1)
Forms of payment	22	(3)
Financing	25	(1)
Incentives	25	(1)
Liquidated damages	26	(1)
Position of the Engineer	27	(2)
Recent developments and standard forms	29	(16)
Introduction	29	(1)
Industry reviews	29	(1)
Partnering	30	(2)
Supply-chain management	32	(1)
Framework agreements	32	(1)
The Internet in engineering contracts	33	(2)
Directives from the European Union	35	(1)
Industry standard forms	36	(9)
Presenting specifications	45	(21)
Before drafting	45	(1)
The form of contract	45	(1)
Technical and general specifications	46	(1)
Presentation	46	(1)
Style - method or result?	47	(7)
Type of specification	54	(5)
Sources generally	59	(4)
Effects of size	63	(2)
Summary: style, type and source	65	(1)
The effect of specifications	66	(20)
The careful specifier	66	(1)
The influence of standard on cost	67	(1)
Approvals	68	(2)
Responsibility to the client	70	(1)
Responsibility to the contractor	71	(1)
Workmanship	72	(1)
Inconsistency	73	(1)
Errors	73	(1)
Specifications in subcontracts	74	(1)
Nominating suppliers and subcontractors	74	(1)
Other contractors on site	75	(1)
Obsolescence in specifications	75	(1)
The tender	76	(1)
Bills of quantities	77	(2)
Cost estimates	79	(1)
Measurement	79	(2)
Operation and maintenance manuals	81	(1)
Samples	82	(2)
Inspection services	84	(1)
Annotated specifications	84	(2)
Writing specifications	86	(31)
How to start	86	(1)
Beginnings, middles and ends	87	(1)
Sketching the plan	88	(1)
First plan to first draft	89	(1)
Handling input from others	89	(2)
From the general to the particular	91	(1)
Active and passive	92	(1)
Flow diagrams and logic	93	(1)
Interlocking workscopes	94	(1)
Use of definitions	95	(3)
Interpretation of lists	98	(1)
Paragraph structure	99	(1)
Types of sentence	100	(1)
Contents list	101	(1)
Cross-references	101	(1)
Accuracy and clarity in writing specifications	101	(16)
Grammar	117	(29)
Why grammar?	117	(1)
The eight parts of speech	118	(1)
Subject and predicate	118	(2)
Types of sentence	120	(1)
The object	121	(1)
Verbs	122	(7)
Phrases and clauses	129	(6)
Punctuation generally	135	(8)
Writing formulae	143	(1)
Numbers	144	(1)
Sentences and paragraphs	145	(1)
Model specifications and layout	146	(26)
Introduction	146	(1)
Document management	147	(1)
Model specifications	148	(24)
Claims	172	(18)
Introduction	172	(1)
Partnering	172	(1)
The claim - what is it?	173	(1)
A specifier's role	174	(4)
Specification and modifications	178	(1)
Effects of correspondence	179	(1)
Warranty schedule	179	(1)
Insurance claims	180	(1)
Performance bonds and bank guarantees	181	(1)
Parent company guarantees	181	(1)
Submitting complete claims	182	(1)
Managing the claim: assembling evidence	182	(4)
Prevention of claims: change orders	186	(1)
Readiness to pursue claims	187	(1)
Alternative dispute resolution	187	(1)
Paraphrasing	188	(1)
Emotion	189	(1)
Conclusion	189	(1)
Appendix A	190	(2)
Appendix B	192	(3)
Appendix C	195	(1)
Notes	196	(1)
Suggested further reading	197	(1)
Index	198