At what point do you use CSI specifications? Do you have any recommendations for best practices for manufacturers providing them?
I am a website designer for a manufacturer of building products. As such, I need to plan & design areas for downloads of all sorts of information. I don't necessarily understand all the content of that information or the usage needs of those who download those files. Examples: 2d drawing files, CSI specifications, rough opening information, other size charts and dimension calculations.
Specifically, my question is about CSI specifications. Our company currently provides them as DOCX and PDF files for download. Are these normally downloaded along with 2d drawing files? Is it logical to include them in an architectural library that consists mostly of 2d drawing files? Or, should they simply be in their own library, organized by product series, product type, and product model?
I'd like to learn more about how architects use files and technical information, so that as a website designer, I can serve them up in a way that is practical, flexible and straight-forward.
Thanks for any input!
senjohnblutarsky
Feb 9, 16 1:42 pm
The most irritating things on manufacturer's websites:
1. Having to sign up to download technical documents. I usually won't spec a product that makes me do this.
2. Having to download zipped folders. I want to click the thing I want and get it. Not select a bunch of things, then get them all together in a zipped folder.
3. Files with ambiguous names. 30511AZPEK.doc doesn't tell me a darn thing.
I like being on a product page and being able to click the technical documents associated with that product. If I have to go to a page to download documents, they need to be sorted by product.
kwark
Feb 9, 16 2:00 pm
EXCELLENT input! Thank you so much. Any other input regarding manufacturers' downloads is more than welcome, from you senjohnblutarsky, or others.
kwark
Feb 9, 16 2:35 pm
Let me ask this -- do you normally need them at the same point in a project as the drawing files?
SpontaneousCombustion
Feb 10, 16 10:31 am
Different people may need them at different times. The person drawing or modeling may need to reference the written specs while they're doing that. The designer and the spec writer (who may or may not be the same person, and may or may not be working on the drawings) need basic outline-spec level info early in the project, and then may refer to the 3-part CSI specs for a product numerous times, starting in design development and through construction documents.
Some things that help and hurt when I look for product specs: 1. Please use the correct CSI masterformat number for the product section. Don't invent numbers. Make your products searchable by those section numbers. 2. List your competitors who make comparable products. I know this one sounds counterintuitive - but most projects for cities, schools, universities, larger corporations, etc. need to be non-proprietary and list at least 3 options for all products. If we can't find two comparable products then we can't use yours, and will move on quickly to another solution. 3. Provide Revit families. Whatever the modeler puts in there often remains the basis of design. If your competitor has Revit files that are easy to find and download and you don't then you may not make it into our spec.
mightyaa
Feb 10, 16 10:45 am
Agree with most the comments above. Also, you might look at Uniformat; I've started to love this one during the SD, DD phases and pricing drawing development.
Just make them easy to find on your webpage and name them in a way that you can tell what they are.
I'd also add that within the tech doc, you should be clear what each option means. Sort of the green pages of masterspec, so I know the difference and can spec to my particular application. I'd think it'd be fairly easy to hyperlink it back to some doc on your webpage.
You'll see that I don't have to log in to see the technical info. They have a section for consumers and one for professionals. I can choose CAD (DWG or DXF), REVIT and specs in RTF.
Lots of other technical info is right there on the page too. I don't have to hunt around for it. Because the information is fairly well organized I'm more likely to use them as the basis of design, and therefore they are more likely to end up in the spec and more likely to end up being purchased for the job.
I agree that I don't want to log in to get the info (yes, I'm looking at you centria!)
I agree that I don't want to wade through tons of products with obscure names to find what I'm looking for.
Pella's site isn't perfect. Lots of links work erratically. Can't always find the info, especially on their doors.
At what point do you use CSI specifications? Do you have any recommendations for best practices for manufacturers providing them?
I am a website designer for a manufacturer of building products. As such, I need to plan & design areas for downloads of all sorts of information. I don't necessarily understand all the content of that information or the usage needs of those who download those files. Examples: 2d drawing files, CSI specifications, rough opening information, other size charts and dimension calculations.
Specifically, my question is about CSI specifications. Our company currently provides them as DOCX and PDF files for download. Are these normally downloaded along with 2d drawing files? Is it logical to include them in an architectural library that consists mostly of 2d drawing files? Or, should they simply be in their own library, organized by product series, product type, and product model?
I'd like to learn more about how architects use files and technical information, so that as a website designer, I can serve them up in a way that is practical, flexible and straight-forward.
Thanks for any input!
The most irritating things on manufacturer's websites:
1. Having to sign up to download technical documents. I usually won't spec a product that makes me do this.
2. Having to download zipped folders. I want to click the thing I want and get it. Not select a bunch of things, then get them all together in a zipped folder.
3. Files with ambiguous names. 30511AZPEK.doc doesn't tell me a darn thing.
I like being on a product page and being able to click the technical documents associated with that product. If I have to go to a page to download documents, they need to be sorted by product.
EXCELLENT input! Thank you so much. Any other input regarding manufacturers' downloads is more than welcome, from you senjohnblutarsky, or others.
Let me ask this -- do you normally need them at the same point in a project as the drawing files?
Different people may need them at different times. The person drawing or modeling may need to reference the written specs while they're doing that. The designer and the spec writer (who may or may not be the same person, and may or may not be working on the drawings) need basic outline-spec level info early in the project, and then may refer to the 3-part CSI specs for a product numerous times, starting in design development and through construction documents.
Some things that help and hurt when I look for product specs: 1. Please use the correct CSI masterformat number for the product section. Don't invent numbers. Make your products searchable by those section numbers. 2. List your competitors who make comparable products. I know this one sounds counterintuitive - but most projects for cities, schools, universities, larger corporations, etc. need to be non-proprietary and list at least 3 options for all products. If we can't find two comparable products then we can't use yours, and will move on quickly to another solution. 3. Provide Revit families. Whatever the modeler puts in there often remains the basis of design. If your competitor has Revit files that are easy to find and download and you don't then you may not make it into our spec.
Agree with most the comments above. Also, you might look at Uniformat; I've started to love this one during the SD, DD phases and pricing drawing development.
Just make them easy to find on your webpage and name them in a way that you can tell what they are.
I'd also add that within the tech doc, you should be clear what each option means. Sort of the green pages of masterspec, so I know the difference and can spec to my particular application. I'd think it'd be fairly easy to hyperlink it back to some doc on your webpage.
Revit families are also important now.
I'm going to refer you to Pella's site again.
Check out this page:
http://professional.pella.com/windows/product-details/hung-architect
You'll see that I don't have to log in to see the technical info. They have a section for consumers and one for professionals. I can choose CAD (DWG or DXF), REVIT and specs in RTF.
Lots of other technical info is right there on the page too. I don't have to hunt around for it. Because the information is fairly well organized I'm more likely to use them as the basis of design, and therefore they are more likely to end up in the spec and more likely to end up being purchased for the job.
I agree that I don't want to log in to get the info (yes, I'm looking at you centria!)
I agree that I don't want to wade through tons of products with obscure names to find what I'm looking for.
Pella's site isn't perfect. Lots of links work erratically. Can't always find the info, especially on their doors.