General specification
General specification is detailed description of product, article, material, construction, machinery, system or service. It includes information about all types, variations, classes, grades, styles of the item or service, and moreover[1][2]:
- all materials that are going to be used,
- detailed specifications (such as size, weight, temperature etc.),
- the purpose of the product or service (answering question what need does the product or service fulfil?),
- how it should be used,
- how it should be destroyed (for example batteries, medicines, chemical substations),
- performance which is going be achieved with the developed item.
Initially, general specification is prepared by designer or member of design team. Then it is passed to an engineer or an expert who verifies the document and approve it or gives feedback about necessary remarks[3].
Recommendations for writing general specification
There is recommended that all documents, including amendments and additional specifications should be published if product is already existing on market. All documents should be numbered and dated. Many times, general specification of one product is used later on in development of another product [4][5].
There is recommended to avoid misunderstandings and be as clear and technical as possible, therefore words such as suitable, appropriate, conventional, as agreed and theirs alternatives should be avoided in general specification description[6][7].
Example of chapters in general specification
At the beginning, each general specification may have very general information that would help to understand the context of new created design. Below are some chapters used in system specification[8]:
- Introduction - describe in general what the document is about,
- Who should read these specifications - refers to users and other interested parties,
- Foundational standard - describes formal standards that the document is following,
- Maintenance responsibility and management - gives information about where to find manual,
- Verbs used in normative statements - explains all normative language,
Later on the documents starts to be much more specific about system it describes.
Advantages of General specification
A general specification is a detailed description of a product, article, material, construction, machinery, system, or service. It includes information about all types, variations, classes, grades, and styles of the item or service. The advantages of general specification are:
- A general specification provides a clear and unambiguous description of the item or service. This eliminates the possibility of misinterpretation or confusion.
- It ensures that everyone involved in the project understands exactly what is to be provided or constructed.
- It helps to ensure that the product or service that is delivered meets the necessary specifications and requirements.
- It helps to eliminate unnecessary costs and delays by preventing the purchase or construction of items that do not meet the specifications.
- It helps to ensure that the necessary safety, quality, and performance requirements are met.
- It helps to ensure that all necessary components or materials are included in the specifications.
- It helps to ensure that the product or service is suitable for its intended use.
Limitations of General specification
A general specification provides a comprehensive description of a product, service, or system, but it does have some limitations. These limitations include:
- The general specification does not include any specific details about a particular item or service. It does not provide information about individual components or materials, which must be obtained from other sources.
- A general specification does not provide detailed instructions or advice on how to use, install, or maintain a product, service, or system. This must be obtained from the manufacturer or the service provider.
- A general specification does not provide any information about the manufacturer’s warranty, return policy, or customer service policies. This information must be obtained from the manufacturer or service provider.
- A general specification does not provide any information about the quality or reliability of a product, service, or system. This information must be obtained from the manufacturer or service provider.
- A general specification does not provide information about compliance with applicable standards or regulations. This information must be obtained from the relevant authorities.
Introduction: In addition to the detailed description, there are other approaches related to General Specification.
- The General Specification can be used in conjunction with other documents such as technical drawings, product descriptions, and user manuals. This can help ensure that the product is fully understood and meets the customer’s needs.
- Another approach is to use General Specification as a way to set standards for quality control. This can ensure that all products manufactured meet certain criteria and that they are safe and effective.
- Furthermore, General Specification can also be used to develop product designs and specifications. This can help ensure that the product meets customer requirements and is cost-effective.
- Finally, General Specification can be used to define the scope of work for a project. This can help ensure that all tasks are completed in a timely and efficient manner.
In summary, General Specification can be used in conjunction with other documents to ensure that the product is fully understood and meets customer needs, can be used as a way to set standards for quality control, can help develop product designs and specifications, and can define the scope of work for a project.
Footnotes
| General specification — recommended articles |
| Certificate of acceptance — Final inspection — Project scope — Validation master plan — Scope of activities — Scope of work — Reliance letter — Certificate of quality — Quality plan |
References
- Architectural Services Department, (2007), General Specification for Building Volume 1 of 2, Architectural Services Department,
- Grady J. O., (2010), System Requirements Analysis, Elsevier
- Tricker R., (2014), Defence Electronics: Standards and Quality Assurance, Elsevier
- The Global Language of Business, (2019), GS1 General Specifications The foundational GS1 standard that defines how identification keys, data attributes and barcodes must be used in business applications., The Global Language of Business
- The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, (2006), General specification for civil engineering works. Volume 2, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong
Author: Anna Bodura
