Unprecedented industry input

The 2004 Edition is remarkable for the extraordinary effort that went into the new revision since the CSI/CSC MasterFormat Expansion Task Team chaired by Dennis Hall, FMCS, CSC, CAA, IAA, Managing Principal of Hall Architects, Charlotte, N.C., started work in 2001. In an unprecedented attempt at obtaining industry wide acceptance and participation in the development process, it drew members from many parts of the construction industry in North America and included architects, engineers, specifiers, contractors, and subcontractors, representing a wide variety of professional, contractor, trade, and manufacturing organizations. Due to the expanded scope of MasterFormat, special emphasis was placed on input for highway, telecommunications, and process engineering work.

The team's initial task was to establish guiding principles. These included:

• Keep changes to a minimum where the current system appears to be adequate
• Make it more acceptable to the mechanical and electrical disciplines
• Expand as required to cover things other than buildings
• Follow recognized classification principles
• Provide room for future expansion
• Maintain organizational consistency
• Expand to cover life-cycle activities

The team solicited input, from over 500 professional and industry organizations to identify what MasterFormat users wanted and needed in a new edition. They used a wide variety of methods: a series of Stakeholders' Symposia, over 120 presentations to construction industry groups, numerous articles in national construction industry magazines, and four Internet discussion forums. In each case, commentary and input was solicited and incorporated into the process, all to help arrive at the highest
quality of content and the most logical organization for the 2004 Edition. As various drafts of the new version were created, the task team sought feedback through direct contact with major organizations and companies, workshops, meetings, and Internet message boards.