The Art of Product Research and Selection

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Advertorial course provided by Sweets
Barbara A. Nadel, FAIA

Professional Organizations

CSI Pittsburgh 2005 president Scott Keener, AIA, CSI, CCS, (Certified Construction Specifier), at Lami Grubb Architects, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania organizes monthly roundtable meetings with salespeople, guest speakers and architectural, interiors, engineering, and building trade associations. "A product new to me may be familiar to a CSI colleague, so I'll seek opinions. When a new product appears on the market, we post a note on the office intranet, and invite comments. Clients introduce us to new products too," says Keener. An estimated 25 percent of manufacturers' websites are not updated regularly. Products discontinued for two years can remain on vendor websites. Calls to sales representatives are the best way to confirm information.

Robert J. Bailey, AIA, CSI, CCS, specifications writer, IKM Incorporated, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, observes seasoned architects and spec writers prefer paper catalogues, while younger architects and interns may intuitively turn to the web. Bailey reads trade magazines, and unlike CSI members who prefer local events to national shows requiring travel and time out of the office, he attends the national CSI show. He belongs to two professional e-mail networks that provide feedback, an interest group, and another list of specifications writers.

Among specialists, the search and discover techniques are varied, but consistent with other patterns. Laboratory research building consultant Barbara A. Spitz, AIA, Associate, Health Education + Research Associates, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania assembles images in a notebook for clients, and finds them through a general search engine, on construction industry websites and from PDF files. She got involved with product development after a client complained about loose faucet handles. Spitz called the product representative and suggested a solution resulting in longer lasting valves to solve the problem. "Our corporate clients are very strict, and give us a range of acceptable products, while academic clients accept familiar manufacturer names," says Spitz. When searching for products, Spitz uses major industry search engines, along with companion print catalogues, to decide what she wants to look at. Since Spitz frequently travels, the St. Louis office librarian sends her hard copy and electronic information. "Our clients want technical criteria. They are reluctant to try anything new. If we cannot do the research to find other uses of a product, we will not be the first, due to potential liability issues," says Spitz.

Resource Director Elizabeth Weeks, RA, Gruzen Samton LLP, New York City, finds information everywhere. Her office designates Tuesday and Thursday morning appointments as "the advanced shopping hour" for meetings with vendors. One partner collects websites for sustainable products, and the list has become an office resource. Brochures and web data printouts are filed for future reference. Weeks maintains several databases, one for products, sorted by broad, medium and narrow scope; others for project archives, and the reference book collection. To inform office staff about product information, Weeks offers training on conducting a search. "My job is to suggest a path, not to perform the work. I ask staff to make me aware of products the firm should know about," she says.

Landscape architect Elena M. Pascarella, RLA, principal, Landscape Elements, LLC, Pawcatuck, Connecticut utilizes print and online sources, especially during early design phases. She creates an online project folder and bookmarks sites for reference to products under consideration, such as lighting and benches. Her sources include professional organizations, industry construction newsletters, and comprehensive industry search engines and catalogues covering all project aspects.

During the design development phase, Pascarella calls companies for information. When time allows, she finds local suppliers, especially for pavers, to see color, texture and size.

"One-to-one contact provides the best information about cost, availability, and specifications. Local suppliers are a must for landscaping and nursery stock," says Pascarella.

Conclusion

Design professionals understand the need for and importance of various product search and discovery methods. Regardless of project type, office size, job title, experience level, client base, or project phase, the need for accurate, complete, and timely product information, from print, the Internet and manufacturer's representatives, remains constant. Understanding this reality is the first step to informed product searches and selection.

 

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Originally published in Architectural Record.
Originally published in May 2005

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