Developing Effective Specifications
Online event
About
This course will help participants:
– Understand the importance and value of clear and effective specifications
– Differentiate between the different methods of creating specifications and when to apply them
– Develop robust specification templates to ensure consistency
– Understand the use of appropriate language (critical to creating effective specifications)
– Appreciate the need to develop specifications in cooperation with stakeholders
– Make use of techniques such as value analysis and value engineering to define ‘fit for purpose’ in
the context of creating effective specifications
– Embed key KPIs into the specification to ensure delivery
– Manage and mitigate legal and contractual risks in the specification
Who should attend?
The course is designed for anyone who will be, involved in writing or contributing to the preparation and management of specifications.
Course format
This one-day course comprises a mix of tutorials and practical exercises. The tutorials explain the key principles, methods and techniques for writing specifications, while the exercises illustrate how to apply them in practice. The programme structure will be participative and session timings may be
adapted to match the particular training needs and pace required by the group.
This programme will be delivered virtually. The live online sessions are generally delivered via Zoom, making full use of the break-out facility so that the same level of interaction between participants and with the programme director can be maintained. The same exercises are used regardless of
delivery format. As near as possible, the virtual experience replicates the classroom experience (including session timings).
This course is delivered as a live online course via Zoom.
7
Continuing Professional Development
This event can contribute towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours as part of the IET's CPD monitoring scheme.
22 May 2025
9:30am - 4:00pm
Organiser
- IET Courses
Registration information
Early bird tickets (Available until 14/03/2025)
IET Member - £499.00 + VAT
Non-Member - £599.00 + VAT
Standard tickets (Available after 14/03/2025 until 02/05/2025)
IET Member - £599.00 + VAT
Non-Member - £699.00 + VAT
Late tickets (Available after 02/05/2025 until 19/05/2025)
Member - £699.00 + VAT
Non-member - £799.00 + VAT
Group booking discount
The following discount codes are for member and non-member delegate registration only, and not applicable for student bookings.
10% discount for 3 to 5 delegates – PDCOU3TO5GR
15% discount for 6 plus delegates – PDCOU6PLUS
Please note that payment must be made in full when registering.
If you need to pay for your group by proforma invoice, please contact events@theiet.org.
Speakers
Ray Carter
Trainer
Programme
Introduction
– Learning outcomes
– Learning styles
– Plan for the day
The importance of effective specifications
– Scopes of work
– Impact of poor scopes of work
– Examples of costly errors
The critical role of language
– Terminology in creating effective specifications and scopes of work
– Problems of communication
– Lack of detail or too prescriptive
Encouraging cooperation
– Technical and commercial experts with responsibility for developing robust effective specifications and scopes of work
– Managing stakeholders’ expectations
– Working with contractors
Types of specification
– Exploring and using the various approaches to the development of appropriate specifications and scopes of work
– Output
– Performance
– Technical
– Functional
– Solutions-based
The role of value analysis
– Value engineering in the process of developing scopes of work and specifications
Specifications and contracts
– The legal and contractual impact of poor specifications and scopes of work
– How to embed scopes of work and specification outputs into tender and quotation documents
Specifications as a management tool
– Developing KPIs and SLAs framed around robust effective specifications and scopes of work
– Negotiating with contractors
– Negotiating with stakeholders