TECHNICAL

SPECIFICATIONS
 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
• A detailed description of technical requirements, usually with
specific acceptance criteria, stated in terms suitable to form the
basis for the actual design development and production
processes of an item having the qualities specified in the
operational characteristics.

• A specification often refers to a set of documented requirements

to be satisfied by a material, design, product, or service. A
specification is often a type of technical standard. There are
different types of technical or engineering specifications, and
the term is used differently in different technical contexts
• A technical specification is an important document of every
business project which contains detailed information for the
technical requirements. A project manager needs to get ready
the business specifications before the project is even started.
• The technical specification is shown to senior management, and
the client of the project and changes should be made as per their
requirements.
• The purpose of the project is to follow the technical
specifications and all requirements listed in the technical
specifications must be met before the completion of the project.
• Technical specifications are written in various scenarios and are
now an important part of every small to a big business project.
 TYPES OF SPECIFICATIONS
Brief specification (General specification)
• This type of specification do not describe any particular item of work but refer
to a complete work.
• The general specification is mainly suitable for estimating the project but do
not from part of contract document.
• It states in brief description of various items of the work specifying materials,
proportions, qualities etc.
• General specification just draw the outline of nature and class of work.

Detailed specification
• This type of specification describe particular item of work in detail.
• They form a part of contract document.
• On reading these specifications, a reader will get clear cut idea regarding the
quality or material, workmanship and mode of payment.
• The detailed specification for various items of work are prepared separately.
 COMMON TYPES OF SPECIFICATIONS
The following are common types of specification.
• Requirement Specifications.
• Design Specifications. ...
• Material Specifications. ...
• Standard Specifications. ...
• Interface Specifications. ...
• Test Specifications. ...
• Performance Specifications. ...
• Quality Specifications.
 Importance/Significance of Technical
Specifications
1. First and foremost benefit of having a technical specification is that you will
get a detailed layout that what you should work on. In this way, you will
reduce the tie wasting and also cut the cost of the project.
2. It makes it easy to assign the task to the members of the team. For
example, when you have clear technical specifications, then your team can
work without confusion and in harmony with one another, as they all will
have clearly defined job roles.
3. The technical specification also helps in the scalability of your product.
Scalability of both team and infrastructure will be required if the project
that you are working on is large. If you have these specifications mentioned
before the beginning of the project, then it would be easy to make such
changes.
4. A well-defined technical specification reduces the chances of failure. That
means you can plan very well, and the project developer would know
clearly what to develop.
 15 Reasons Why Specifications Are Still
Important

1. It provides clear instructions on the intent, performance

and construction of the project.
2. It can reference the quality and standards which should be
applied.
3. Materials and manufacturers’ products can be clearly
defined.
4. The requirements for installation, testing and handover
can be identified.
5. Classification in the specification can be used to support
handover and running of the asset.
 15 Reasons Why Specifications Are Still
Important
6. The drawing or model does not need to be overloaded with
detailed information, which can sometimes be difficult to identify.
7. It can be used to support the costing of a project: not only the
materials and products but also the performance and
workmanship
8. The specification forms part of the contractual documents, along
with the drawings, and therefore can help minimise project risk
and provide support should there be any legal disputes.
9. It supports the interpretation of the client brief and gives the client
assurance that the asset which they commissioned is being
delivered.
10.It is not only essential for the construction phase but also used as
part of the soft landing process, subsequent asset management
and the lifecycle plan.
 15 Reasons Why Specifications Are Still
Important
11.By being clear and concise and containing all the information, it saves
the project team, the client and the contractor time and money by
providing answers to many of the on-site construction questions.
12.There is the option for the design team to build a suite of office masters,
which would improve efficiency, provide quality assurance and project
consistency.
13.Office masters can save the team time and money by being developed
over a period of time and then being adapted to suit the project specifics,
therefore drawing on specialist knowledge when needed.
14.The specification should be used by all the project team throughout the
construction phase; it should be a living document and not stop being
used at the design phase.
15.The specification and any variations or value engineering can also be
used for the project audit trail and should form part of the handover
documents. It will then form the basis for the running of the asset by the
asset management team
 HOW TO WRITE A TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION?
Step 1. List all the requirements
• Make a simple list of specifications of the
project. Eliminate all the additional
requirements by discussing with your client
and manager, and in the end, you will get the
final list of specifications important for the
project.
 HOW TO WRITE A TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION?
Step 2. Write the table of content
• By writing a table of content first. A table of content
is an important feature as it provides the guideline
for the reader of your technical specification
document.
• A table of content must contain headings as well as
the subheadings of your technical specification
document. It will also help you in locating the details
of a particular specification. You can also refer while
working on the project.
HOW TO WRITE A TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION?

Step 3. Write Specifications

• Now, this is the most important step in writing a technical
specification. In this step, you will finally write all the specification of
your project. Make sure that the specifications that you write in your
technical specification document are detailed and thorough.
• For example, if you are working on a machinery product to be used
for certain work, then it is important to know what should be the
dimensions of the product? Or the weather conditions under which
the product should be able to work efficiently, such as extreme high
or low temperatures.
• Or if you are designing a website for your client, then it is important
to know whether the website should contain a landing page or not?
Or what should be the theme of the website? Etc.
 HOW TO WRITE A TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION?
Step 4. Important features
• This step is not mandatory for all technical
specifications. You can write an all-important feature
that must be taken care of in addition to the basic
specification in the important feature section. This
will make your team to pay special attention to those
features.
• The next steps you are required to follow is to make
the specification document make readable and
understandable. To do this, you are required to keep
in mind the following rules.
•Your writing style should be simple and easy to read.
•Use simple and short sentences.
•Avoid using pronouns. For example, use the direct name of the product each
time you are referring to it rather than using pronouns like “it” and “which.” It
will reduce the chances of confusion of your technical specification readers.
•Next, define jargons that you use at the end or better at the beginning of the
technical specification document of your technical specification. This will help
you in keeping everyone on the same page, and you will not have to waste time
explaining everything.
•Read the specification critically and also get it critically read by someone who
has a better experience. For example, you can ask the project guide or your
manager to proofread technical specification before making the final
submission. This will reduce the chances of errors and will also reduce the
confusion at a later stage of the project.
•Next, assign a control number and suitable title to the technical specification
document.
•Finally, add the signature block for all the authority in.
 PURPOSE OF SPECIFICATIONS
1. To describe the quality of different materials
required for construction work.
2. It enables the department, engineers, architect and
contractor to define, procure and check the
material’s quality as per specifications.
3. To specify the quality of workmanship and method
of doing the same.
4. Specifications are required to clarify the drawings.
5. Specifications are helpful to the contractor in filling
the rates of various items in the tender.
 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS:
1. The quantity, quality and characteristics of various
materials to be used including the possible lifetime
of the material.
2. The usual and practicable methods of executing the
work to be done at the cheapest without sacrificing
the ends to be achieved.
3. The methods ordinarily employed in the
manufacture of the product or the machine and in
the construction, operation and maintenance of the
plant or structure.
NEED OF PREPARING AN OUTLINE
1. There is a need to prepare an outline by dividing the work
to be done in various elements and by getting down in
detail all materials and processes which must be included.
2. The divisions may be further subdivided if necessary for
clarity.
3. For some fundamental materials or processes, the
qualities or operations for each should be differentiated or
classified.
4. It is advisable that the engineer should always have a
notebook at hand when thinking of an improvement.
 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS IN THE
PREPARATION OF SPECIFICATION
1. Resorting to Published specifications
2. Modifying the requirements in the specifications
3. Use of standard materials and methods
4. Standard specifications prescribed by technical
societies
5. Avoidance of exclusive specifications
6. Accessory and equipment
7. Test and guarantee
 ASPECTS OF DESIGNS & SPECIFICATIONS
FOR ENGINEERING WORK
1. General considerations
2. Undesirable practice
3. Design and false economy
4. Estimating the structure
OBLIGATIONS AND CONTRACTS
 MEANING OF OBLIGATION:
• It is a juridical necessity to give, to do or not to
do.
• It comes from the Latin word obligare which
means to bind through giving, doing or not
doing something.
• It is a juridical necessity because the rights and
duties emanating from obligation may be
enforced in courts of justice which may order
their performance if refused or neglected
 REQUISITES OF AN OBLIGATION:
• JURIDICAL TIE OR VINCULUM which is the link
that binds the parties;
• THE PRESTATION which is the giving, doing or not
doing of something;
• THE ACTIVE SUBJECT which is the person who
holds the right to demand the prestation, called
obligee or creditor;
• THE PASSIVE SUBJECT which is the person against
whom the prestation may be demanded.
 SOURCES OF OBLIGATIONS
• Law
• Contracts
• Quasi – Contracts
• Acts or omissions punishable by law
(Crimes)
• Quasi-Delicts
 FACTORS AFFECTING OBLIGATIONS:

1. Diligence required in the performance of an

obligation
2. Rights to the fruits of the thing to be
delivered
3. Rule when obligor incurs delay
4. Liability of obligor for fraud, negligence,
delay, etc.
5. Liability arising from fortuitous events
 KINDS OF OBLIGATIONS:
1. Pure Obligation
2. Conditional Obligation
3. Obligation with a Period
4. Alternative and Facultative
5. Joint and Solidary
6. Divisible and Indivisible
7. Obligation with a Penal Clause
MODES OF EXTINGUISHING OBLIGATION:

• 1. By payment or performance
• 2. By loss of the thing due
• 3. By condonation or remission of the debt
• 4. By confusion or merger of the rights of
creditor & debtor
• 5. By compensation
• 6. By novation
 DEFINITION OF A CONTRACT:
• It is the meeting of the minds
between two persons whereby
one binds himself, with
respect to the other, to give
something or to render some
service.
 CONTRACT DIFFERENTIATED FROM
AGREEMENT:
• Contract is often times used interchangeably with
the term agreement.
• A contract forms a subdivision of the genus
agreement from which follows that, while every
contract is based on agreement, not every
agreement is a contract.
• In order for an agreement to qualify as a contract,
the parties much have clearly intended to be
bound by legal tie. Moreover, a contract when
breached can be enforced in court, not in the case
of an agreement
 STAGES OF A CONTRACT:

• 1. Preparation or conception
• 2. Perfection or birth
• 3. Consumation or termination
 CLASSIFICATION OF CONTRACTS:
• 1. Express and implied contracts
• 2. Unilateral and bilateral contracts
• 3. Consensual and real contracts
• 4. Executed and executory contracts  
• 5. Nominate and innominate
contracts-
 REQUISITES OF CONTRACT:
• CONSENT of the contracting parties
• OBJECT CERTAIN which is the subject matter
of the contract
• CAUSE OF THE OBLIGATION which is
established
 DEFINITION:
• CONSENT – is the conformity of wills of the contracting parties
upon the object and cause as well as to the other terms and
conditions of the contract

• OBJECT CERTAIN – all things which are within the commerce of

man including future things having potential existence, rights
which are not intransmissible and services which are not contrary
to law, morals, good customs, public order and policy, and not
impossible of compliance maybe the object of a contract.

• CAUSE OR CONSIDERATION – is the immediate, direct and

proximate reason why a party enters into the contract and
without which the contract becomes a nullity. The cause may be
either be onerous, remuneratory or gratuitous.
 PREPARING THE CONTRACT
POINTS TO RECKON IN CONTRACT WRITING:
Before drafting the contract, the engineer,
should among others, be aware of the
following:
– The need of the client
– The terms and conditions desired including the
subject matter and considerations of the contract
– Legality of the contemplated contract
 PARTS OF A CONTRACT
1. TITLE OF CONTRACT
2. SALUTATION
3. THE BODY
1. INTRODUCTION OF THE PARTIES AND THE AGREEMENT
2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
3. DISPOSITIVE CLAUSE
4. DATE AND PLACE OF EXECUTION
4. SIGNATURES OF THE PARTIES.
5. NOTARIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 MATTERS USUALLY EMBODIED IN ENGINEERING
CONTRACTS
• The following are generally contained in many engineering contracts:
• Workmanship according to agreed plans and specifications
• Materials which must be the agreed quantity and quality
• Responsibility on compliance with legal requirements
• Control and Supervision of the work by the engineer to fairly insure the
accomplishment of the project.
• Bonds that must be put up to secure the performance of the contract
and other liabilities to which the client-owner may be exposed
• Contract modification of rescission for willful breach of the terms and
conditions of the contract
• Risk or additional cost or penalty by reason of defective workmanship
• Mode and conditions for payment.
 OTHER ENGINEERING DOCUMENTS:

1. Specification Proper
2. Advertisements or Invitation to bidders
3. Proposals
4. Plans and Designs
5. Performance Bond
6. Cost Estimate and Bill of Materials
7. Program of Works
SAMPLE OF CONTRACT