Photo courtesy Phybridge Inc.
CSI evaluators were able to quickly understand the proposed change and how it fit into the overall framework. This change matrix, the third iteration of the recommendation summary, was submitted in April 2015.
Explanatory briefings were held in two conference calls during the summer months with CSI’s MasterFormat Task Team to explain the submitted recommendations and the rationale behind them, as well as the change matrix’s format. There was a general awareness and recognition Division 28 was due for a major overhaul, and the presentation to the task team was well-received.
It was deemed important the Security Industry Association had agreed to make this effort a standing ad-hoc committee to accommodate future changes on a timely basis, serving as a conduit for the industry’s proposed changes to CSI. This committee will consist of a diverse panel of industry experts, serving to represent all quarters of the industry concerned with specified projects.
The Task Force convened during the weekend of September 11 to 13 in order to review all MasterFormat change recommendations, including Division 28. We were informed on September 12 the recommendations were approved in total. At the time of this article’s writing, CSI staff is in the process of assigning numbers to the recommended items for incorporation into MasterFormat 2016. SIA and SecuritySpecifiers will undertake the task of getting the word out to the security industry to begin the process of moving new or in process specifications to the new MasterFormat 2016.
Conclusion
This author expects there will be far-ranging impacts from this effort. The first is literally at the industry level. By strengthening the ties between SIA and CSI, it is hoped construction project specifications more accurately incorporate and reflect the needs of the security or safety installation and that contracting procedures help to preserve the intent of the design.
Next, those who may have rejected MasterFormat in their designs because the Electronic Safety and Security categories had become less usable, should revisit—the makeover has been substantial. For all those writing safety and security specifications, a workable format now exists through which the design intent and specifics can be accurately communicated.
For those contemplating their own recommendations in any MasterFormat division, this author has several thoughts. First, one should engage CSI personnel early and keep them involved on an ongoing basis. The initial guidance from CSI staff and volunteers helped the effort get off to a good start and in the right direction. Their periodic feedback prevented our group from getting too far off track. Continuous exposure and engagement created an understanding and an expectation of the final result.
The submission of recommendations was done several months earlier than what would normally be expected in order to give the CSI team the time to digest it all. Simply throwing a set of recommendations over the wall at the deadline would have made the approval task force’s job much more difficult, leading to unwanted changes and possible schedule slippage, perhaps to the next issuance of MasterFormat in 2018. As in any successful project, effective and continuous communication is paramount, and it is crucial to have knowledgeable and committed parties willing to put the effort into effective collaboration.
Ray Coulombe, CSI, CDT, is founder and managing director of SecuritySpecifiers. He has more than 30 years of experience in the electronic security industry, and has founded (or been a significant contributor to) eight startup and early-stage companies. In addition to degrees in electrical engineering, management, and information technology Coulombe holds numerous industry certifications. He is a Life member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and is also part of CSI, Tau Beta Pi, and (ASIS). Coulombe is a veteran (captain) of the U.S. Air Force, where he participated in the development of advanced missile systems. He can be reached via e-mail at ray@securityspecifiers.com.
