Course description
High quality specifications are of paramount importance in achieving the right technical performance and value for money. This long-established training programme has been developed to help those involved in producing specifications to create high quality documents in an organised and effective way. It provides a sound foundation for those new to the topic whilst at the same time offering new insights to those with more experience.
The programme emphasises the need for a clear definition of requirements combined with the ability to communicate those requirements effectively to third parties. A structured method of preparing specifications is provided, and a range of practical techniques is presented, to enable participants to put the principles into practice. The commercial and contractual role of specifications is also addressed.
Upcoming start dates
Choose between 2 start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
Outcome / Qualification etc.
- Provide a clear understanding of the role and purpose of specifications
- Present a framework for organising and producing specifications
- Define the key steps involved in creating effective specifications
- Demonstrate methods for assisting in defining requirements
- Provide tools and techniques for scoping and structuring specifications
- Show the role of specifications in managing variations and changes to scope
- Present methods to assist the writing and editing of specifications
- Review how specifications should be issued and controlled
Training Course Content
1 Introduction
- Review of course objectives
- Review of participants’ needs and objectives
2 Creating effective specifications
- The role of specifications in communicating requirements
- The costs, benefits and qualities of effective specifications
- Understanding the differences between verbal and written communication
- The five key steps of ‘POWER’ writing: prepare-organise-write-edit-release
- Exercise: qualities of an effective specification
3 Step 1: Preparing to write – defining readership and purpose; the specification and the contract
- Designing the specifications required; applying BS 7373
- Defining the purpose, readership and title of each document
- Effective procedures for writing, issuing and controlling specifications
- The roles and responsibilities of the key players
- Understanding contracts; the contractual role of the specification
- Integrating and balancing the technical and commercial requirements
- Writing specifications to achieve the appropriate contract risk strategy
- Deciding how to specify: when to use functional and technical specifications
- The role of specifications in managing variations and changes to scope
4 Case study 1
- Teams review a typical project scenario and identify the implications for the specification
- Feedback and discussion
5 Step 2: Organising the specification content
- Defining the need and establishing user requirements
- Deciding what issues the specification should cover
- Scoping techniques: scope maps, check lists, structured brainstorming
- Clarifying priorities: separating needs and desires
- Dealing with requirements that are difficult to quantify
- Useful techniques: cost benefit analysis, QFD, Pareto analysis
6 Case study 2
- Teams apply the scoping techniques to develop the outline contents for a specification
- Feedback and discussion
7 Step 2: Organising the specification content (cont)
- Deciding what goes where; typical contents and layout for a specification
- The three main segments: introductory, key and supporting
- Creating and using model forms: the sections and sub-sections
- Detailed contents of each sub-section
- Tools and techniques for outlining and structuring specifications
8 Case study 3
- Teams develop the detailed specification contents using a model form
- Feedback and discussion
9 Step 3: Writing the specification
- The challenges of written communication
- Identifying and understanding the readers needs
- Choosing and using the right words; dealing with jargon
- Problem words; will, shall, must, etc; building a glossary
- Using sentence structure and punctuation to best effect
- Understanding the impact of style, format and appearance
- Avoiding common causes of ambiguity
- Being concise and ensuring clarity
- Choosing and using graphics to best effect
- Exercises and examples
10 Step 4: Editing the specification
- Why editing is difficult; how to develop a personal editing strategy
- Key areas to review: structure, content, accuracy, clarity, style and grammar
- Editing tools and techniques
11 Step 5: Releasing and controlling the specification
- Key requirements for document issue and control
- Final formatting and publication issues; document approval
- Requirements management: managing revisions and changes
12 Course review and action planning
- What actions should be implemented to improve specifications?
- Conclusion
Course delivery details
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The In-House Training Company
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The In-House Training Company
We offer top-quality in-house training, in a wide range of subjects, at sensible prices. All of our programmes are delivered by independent subject specialists who also have outstanding training skills. We have rigorous standards and only work with the very...
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