Knowing It All

Log Out | Topics | Search Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Author Message Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1383 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, April 03, 2013 - 08:24 am:    130403 KNOWING IT ALL by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT, Cincinnati, Ohio Do we have to know it all? Well, as specifiers, we may have to come pretty close. In baseball, there is the “utility” player who is able to function pretty well at several positions [but still does not know them all]. It’s the same in football, Teaching too requires more than basic instructional methods and topics—knowledge beyond the subject matter at hand is useful. In the construction industry it is more “what you NEED to know”-- not everything when much is irrelevant. For example, it is not necessary to know everything in reference standards when only parts apply; not knowing the possible nuances of installation of every similar product, when they use basically the same techniques and devices is not required knowledge. What about Product Representatives and Architects/Engineers? Do they know it all???? Well, no, not really. The Representatives knows enough to describe their products, in some detail, but come short of “knowing it all”! Their knowledge is “in depth” surely, and far removed from what the designer knows [or needs to know]. The difference is the type of information involved and usually is not identical. Reps know production, fabrication and background, whereas the professionals need to know attribute of the installed products, possible variations, etc. The design professional, unlike the Product Representative, must know the properties of innumerable products at minimal functional level-- i.e., at the level of knowing the basics of the products and how they can be re-fashioned to meet specific projects needs. BUT in addition, the professional must have a fundamentally sound level of information about basic construction products [concrete, brick, aluminum, etc.] to provide a good level of objective analysis of the end results. Know it all? No, but enough fundamental knowledge to understand the increased detail available from the representative, to make good, sound decisions about products, their use, their flexibility, cost and other pertinent features. But the key to this and the proper contribution to the use of the products lies in the rudimental knowledge and understanding of basic construction materials, their re-working, relationships, combinations, interface and correct use in the project [and not trying to use products in ways for which they were not meant]. This is the crucial part of the current situation which is continually ignored or circumvented—basic, sound, construction information about products, materials, methods of construction, and some minimal foundational insight to how they can be used for flexible applications in varied project conditions. With no such underlying knowledge, many interns, high-level students and even emerging professionals [some even mysteriously registered; how is this accomplished without the necessary knowledge?] are left in a nerve racking state of really not knowing their professional place, obligation, work potential and future. They are often quite uneasy when they learn “what they don’t know”! They were under the impression that their college education would provide all they would need. Yet this shameful and mysteriously state of affairs is still ignored, overlooked, foisted to others or deemed inconsequential and “unimportant”! Oh, really? Fact is, this situation apparently still lingers and is shamefully justified by virtue of what the software programs can produce, negating any early-on methods and materials instruction. More and more firms are finding their staffs ill-prepared to solve the problems [and the computers too are inadequate]. Thereby we continue to produce future professionals who are most ill-informed about the very knowledge they need to produce quality projects throughout their careers. We cannot allow this state of affairs to languish any longer—it is most important to address and resolve it, for all concerned-- starting “yesterday”! Must we know it all? No, BUT we MUST know enough !!!!