Specify means to mention something specific, to clarify information that has been provided previously. And a specification is a detailed explanation. In this way, the concept we are analyzing implies that something general can only be understood with precision if all the elements that comprise it are described.
When talking about specification, it is always associated with something of a general nature, so it is usual to refer to the specification of expenses, objectives, requirements or products.
Ideas must be concretized
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 with a basic initial scheme, that is, a new idea of a car that is reflected 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 cover letter and are reflected in a technical document in which the different aspects of the product are precisely detailed, be it a machine, a medicine or any service.
The purpose of the specifications
The information provided in a technical document serves several functions:
- Guarantee that the product has been produced in accordance with the authorized standard and with the appropriate certifications (in this sense, the 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 several languages, something totally necessary in a context of a globalized economy.
- Avoid possible fraud in manufacturing (copying and falsification is a reality and technical documents are a mechanism for the consumer to differentiate between an authentic product from 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).
