Attention, Architects.

Wow. It’s like another language.

We’re doing a new blog post type meant for other Architects (we’re not sure…do other Architects read this?). We’re gonna call it “Attention, Architects.” What we’re finding is that some Architects need some help. Some of them do stupid things. We want point those out…I mean help them.

Probably 99% of design firms use a standard Revit template that includes a sheet with the information above in it. It includes hundreds of abbreviations.

We have removed this sheet as well as nearly all abbreviations from our firm’s Construction Document template. Why you might ask?

Because it is idiotic to abbreviate these words and make documents more confusing than they need to be. The common person, client, or even contractor is not going to know that “U.S.” stands for “urinal screen”. Most Architects wouldn’t even know that without looking it up. Why make it more difficult than it needs to be? Why make a document where you have to flip to a separate sheet to determine the meaning like some kind of 1950’s cereal box decoder ring?

Abbreviations are a hold-over from when drawings were hand drafted and writing long words and phrases caused many cramping hands and took up more space on a set of drawings. Now a-days drawings are done in the computer, typed letters are more legible and small and typing is fast.

We’re starting a movement. Join us other Architects. Eliminate abbreviations. Viva clear documents. Viva avoiding construction mistakes! Join the revolution!!!

Note, we still use common abbreviations (where a decoder ring is not needed), such as “@”, “Typ.”, “FT.”, “IN.”