Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT
Senior Member
Username: rliebing
Post Number: 1335
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 22, 2012 - 08:08 am: |    |
120822
EDUCATION ANEW
by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT
Cincinnati, OH
Part 1:
To be fully effective in communicating relevant construction information, the design professional must have an in-depth knowledge of contract documents [drawings and specifications, including Divisions 00 and 01]. Despite the crucial nature of this need [and in light of the evolving production technology], current academic instruction in such knowledge and information is all but totally lacking in the traditional 4-year institutions. This has created a disjointed array of information.
CSI, currently, is the sole organization that has access to, and inherent expertise in both specifications and drawing production [via MasterFormat, UniFormat, National CAD Standard, Uniform Drawing System, and other ventures]. It is therefore a force that can and should be able to more fully coordinate this instruction, to provide resources to academic organizations, to offer high quality instruction and instructional materials, and provide information relative to the concept and production of contract documents, in printed, electronic and oral[?] form. [verbal means written, really; I think you've covered it with printed and electronic}.
Such broad-range service could also be brought to bear on the entire construction industry, and, coupled with the current certification and informational programs, increase the value and status of CSI to the whole of the industry.
Every construction project, whether architectural or engineering, progresses through a set sequence of events. There may be minor variations, but the basic sequence remains unchanged. Therefore, every person aspiring to be a design professional in the construction industry either through the Intern Development Program (IDP) for architects or the Engineer in Training program (EIT) for engineers, needs to understand this sequence in general terms, and the method of documentation in specific, but not necessarily detailed, terms.
Education on a specific topic begins at an established point and progresses as added information and expertise develops. Often topics require fundamental information even more defined. These usually are highly technical topics, involving a wide breadth of information, with a flexibility of application to varied situations.
Students, exposed to varied levels of knowledge and understanding, should be placed in appropriate classes that recognize their current knowledge and understanding -- i.e., incremental education! The concept is to build the process step by step as the individual student progresses in knowledge, understanding and expertise-- and in the case of an architectural /engineering topic like specifications, on a “need to know” basis.
This is not a time-oriented process, but rather one that addresses the value of the topic and data to the individual. To provide either too little or too much information, or information with too low or too high a technical content, will lead to confusion, misunderstanding and a situation where the individual is unable to properly utilize the information and perceive it as a waste of time leading to disinterest, boredom and discarding of the information.
Currently, the most egregious need, in the design-documentation sequence, is for fundamental instruction regarding drawings and specifications, and their interrelationship as Contract Documents. The instruction, such as it is now, is sporadic, uncoordinated, and lacking in well-founded knowledge and presentation. It is not inappropriate to speak in these terms, since there is no denying that design concepts [a primary development of architects] must be documented in a manner that facilitates their construction. Concept and conceptual language and terms need to be augmented and converted to those fully usable by the manufacturers, suppliers, fabricators and Constructors, on all levels.
[to be continued next week] |
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