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Responding to overly vague specifications
Responding to overly vague specifications
Mike Nowoswiat avatar
Written by Mike Nowoswiat
Updated over a year ago

Sometimes we see specifications that can mean a lot of different things depending on where they show up in a specification.

For example, the following specification could realistically show up in a number of different sections:

This could show up in any the following sections:

  1. Remote Annunciators

  2. Auxiliary Contacts

  3. LEDs

  4. Controller Registry

Depending on which section it is located in, you may respond differently.

What is the best way to handle this?

There is no right answer, but a few ideas include:

  1. Determine if all realistic sections would result in the same response

    Using the above "Switch Position" spec example, we could consider what the compliance response and accessory selection would be in each specification section. If they would all be the same, then we can confidently add those responses to the library for future spec automation.

  2. Add a note with if/or logic built in

    Just because you cannot provide a universal response that will apply to each section doesn't mean you cannot improve your analysis of this specification phrase.

    Is there a way to add a note that will make sense for all scenarios and still help your future self?

    Using the above example, what could we do if we complied with each scenario, but needed to add an accessory for this requirement when it appeared in the auxiliary contact section?

    We could add a note like this:


    This would tell us that we comply with the specification (regardless of which section) and that we need to add the switch position aux contacts if it is located in the aux contact section of the spec.

  3. Choose not to add a library response and use local markup mode


    There are thousands and thousands of specifications for your product. You may not be able to automate every single one. That's okay--you should be able to add library responses for most of them.

    If you want to respond to the vague or general specification but can't think of a good way to apply it to any future instance, use your local markup mode to respond to it in exactly the context it is in for the project at hand.

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