To specify means to mention something specific, to clarify information that has been previously provided. And a specification is a detailed explanation. In this way, the concept we are analyzing implies that something general can only be accurately understood if all the elements that make it up are described.
When talking about a specification, it is always associated with something of a general nature, so it is common to refer to the specification of expenses, objectives, requirements or products.
Ideas must be realized
Any idea or proposal generally has the following model: a main thesis, a series of arguments and a set of complementary data or specifications. The three parts are closely related. Let’s illustrate this scheme with an example: the design of a car. It starts from a basic initial scheme, that is, a new idea for a car that is embodied in a sketch. The next step is to define and specify the fundamental elements of the vehicle. Finally, it is necessary to establish a series of technical specifications to complete the process (this is reflected in a certificate of technical characteristics in which all aspects of the vehicle are detailed, from the brand, dimensions, power, gearbox, displacement and a long etcetera).
The specifications of any product are its letter of introduction and are reflected in a technical document that precisely details the different aspects of the product, whether it is a machine, a medicine or any service.
The purpose of the specifications
The information provided in a technical document fulfills several functions:
– Guarantee that the product has been produced in accordance with the authorized standard and with the appropriate certifications (in this sense, ISO standards serve as a general frame of reference).
– Allow the consumer to know in detail what they have purchased (raw materials used, product description, controls carried out, legal requirements…). It must be remembered that in most cases, the specifications are made in various languages, something absolutely necessary in a context of a globalized economy.
– Avoid possible fraud in manufacturing (copying and counterfeiting is a reality and technical documents are a mechanism for the consumer to differentiate between an authentic product and one that is not).
– Communicate how something works. In this sense, it must be remembered that there are two types of technical specifications (data related to a product and the functionality of said product).
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