Utopia by KAAN Architecten, located in Aalst, Belgium​ ©Delfino Sisto Legnani e Marco Cappelletti

Remember when we had to look up a business in the yellow pages? Or when we had to go to the library to learn about a topic of interest? Technological advances, particularly the internet, have drastically changed the way we perform such tasks. Clearly, this has had a profound impact on the way we work. Not only do we have a vast amount of information at our disposal, but that information can be accessed quickly, then managed and organized clearly and efficiently.

For an architecture practice, technology has particularly affected the way designers can specify products and materials. Rather than wading through an office's library of quickly-outdated catalogs, designers these days can search ever-expanding and constantly-updated resources with ease, identifying products from around the world to use in new architecture projects. Designers can connect with representatives, negotiate quotes, and coordinate delivery faster than ever. 

Now, the question is where to start. There are several different platforms available to designers these days that help streamline the process of specification. To try to get some insight into the value specification software can offer a firm, and what options are out there, I reached out to my good friend (and, full disclosure, founder of Designer Pages) Jacob Slevin...

Paul Petrunia: So what kind of value does specification software offer a design firm?

Jacob Slevin: The specification process for both architectural and interior design projects is a veritable beast. Or perhaps a clockwork is a better metaphor: an unfathomably complex machine with thousands upon thousands of moving parts, each of differing dimensions and varied functions. When these disparate elements fail to mesh, things can come to a grinding halt, or worse, implode and destruct in a cacophonous grind. Many firms rely on Word or Excel or PowerPoint to perform this gargantuan task of organization and collaboration, but these programs are inadequate, to say the least. I’d like all design pros to know that there are better tools out there, and they WILL save you time, money and effort!

There’s no doubt that architecture and design firms are often over-extended in terms of time and resources. What do you tell firms that question the cost-to-benefit analysis of change?

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not judging and I understand: change is hard. And making such a fundamental alteration to the way things have always been done is a risk, and a time-drain, and a challenge to company morale. But while the learning curve might be a bit steep, the payoff is tremendous. A&D spec software streamlines both architecture and interior design projects. It provides a seamless organization, enables instantaneous and collaborative access to project elements, and facilitates enhanced communication among project participants. In short, it has the potential to put all of the great variety of moving parts into neat columns and straight lines—right there at your disposal to be organized, searched, altered, and replaced. It allows a kind of bird’s eye view of everything (viewable by everybody)—an enhanced perspective from which elements can be seamlessly manipulated, not only improving productivity and efficiency, but also realizing significant cost-savings.

What specification software platforms do you encounter most?

I obviously need to include Designer Pages PRO. It would be unfair of me to say that we’re the best, but I’m obviously very proud of what we’ve accomplished. I’d feel supremely confident stating on the record that any of these solutions below are better than Microsoft Office! With that said, here’s my top five.  

For Architectural Specifications

Avitru + Deltek’s MasterSpec retains the basic outline of the “Spec Book” while refining it for ease and efficiency. The software allows targeted customization, so users may delete what doesn’t apply while adding their own sections—from a comprehensive database of more than 900 sections organized by practice-specific libraries. All content is written by licensed design professionals. MasterSpec also boasts an industry-leading advisory committee who meet six to eight times each year to advise on content and provide updates. Lastly, the software is confidential, with a strict prohibition of sharing personal or project-identifiable information.

• Similarities to original Spec Book enables easy transition

• Product of AIA

• Customizable with a library of 924 Sections

• Completely transparent with clear labeling of any manufacturer-specific content

• No sharing of user data

BSD SpecLink’s dynamic interface is constantly updated to current standards and code references. The software also integrates intelligent linking that improves efficiency, minimizing errors while allowing targeted editing by selection. Lastly, the platform is cloud-based, facilitating remote collaboration and coordination among multiple stakeholders.

• Cloud-Based platform

• Updated standards and code references

• Seamless linking with Revit

• Automatically synchronized changes

• Immersive 3D walkthroughs

For Interior Specifications (FF&E and Finish Manuals)

Designer Pages PRO is a comprehensive product and material selection tool that streamlines all aspects of the specification process for any commercial interior project: Education, Health & Wellness, Hospitality, Retail, Workplace and more. It’s the only interior specification platform in this list that’s a cloud-based platform, so all designers in the project spectrum can access it anytime, anywhere, from any machine with an internet connection. Designer Pages PRO’s expansive product database is a tremendous time- saver, with filtering options to satisfy specific needs. Designer Pages PRO also makes it easy to create and organize projects based on information such as category, budget, room, and type. The Vendor Directory is another big perk, allowing designers to organize sales rep, further streamlining the spec process. Lastly, it communicates with Revit, both push and pull.

• Web-based for easy access and quick collaboration

• Database of nearly 10,000 brands and more than 250,000 products for sourcing and specification

• HTML/CSS Editor to develop custom PDFs

• Bi-Direction Interoperability with Revit

• Most affordable spec writing tool

dRofus’ database automatically updates information for all project stakeholders, including owners, architects, engineers, consultants, and FM Handover/Asset Management. The software is particularly nimble at synchronizing the requirements of architects and engineers via a bi-directional connection between dRofus and BIM modeling tools such as Archicad and Revit. This makes it an ideal tool for complex infrastructure and room element needs, as encountered in healthcare projects.

• Bi-directional syncing with Archicad and Revit

• Customized PDFs and Excel reports

• Management of public standards and equipment

• Consolidates room data, equipment sheets, and data planning

• Seamless transition for FM handover and asset management

Founded in 1999, Specsources is a pioneer of FFE specification writing software. A comprehensive data management and integration tool, Specsources is a virtual, dynamic, cloud-based Spec Book that enables collaboration within and among interior design firms. The company recently launched Version 5: “a faster and easier to use interface with streamlined adding areas/locations function, improved search tools, improved submittal tracking, and more printing options.”

• Organize specs by item type, area, manufacturer, room, vendor, issue date, and revision date

• Budget reports and master schedule integration

• Edit images in software

• Built-in Mandarin option

• Single-directional synchronization with Revit

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For a firm that hasn't yet waded into the pool of specification software, which tools would you suggest they start with?

It’s certainly a new age when it comes to specification writing. The above-profiled software represents my favorites of these collaborative tools. I don’t necessarily recommend one over the others, but I do suggest that they fit slightly different niches. For instance, dRofus appears to be a fabulous tool to bridge the gap between architects and building engineers for large-scale projects, but it’s probably not the best tool for interior designers writing project specs. My advice is to understand your spec writing needs, ask around, do some research, and drill down to the tool that will work best for you. But by all means, ditch the Word docs, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations and enter the brave new world of spec writing software. You’ll be amazed at the time and money you’ll save, the headaches you’ll forestall, and the clients you’ll impress.