Drawings–Specs Coordination Audit
Kill RFIs before they're born
Runs a repeatable coordination pass between drawings, schedules, and specifications before every issue set. Catches mismatched terminology, missing spec references, and known conflict patterns — so the contractor finds fewer reasons to write RFIs.
INGREDIENTS
PROMPT
Create a skill called "Drawings–Specs Coordination Audit". Before I issue a drawing set, I want to run a coordination pass between drawings, schedules, and specifications. You should: 1. Generate a coordination matrix linking schedules (door, finish, window) ↔ keynotes ↔ spec sections 2. Check terminology alignment: do drawing callouts match the language in spec "Section Includes" paragraphs? 3. Produce an issue list: conflicts, missing spec references, and ambiguous notes — each tagged with a sheet/spec location 4. For any conflicts that can't be resolved before issue, draft clear RFIs with complete references 5. Archive the audit output as a QA artifact for the issue set My spec standard is CSI MasterFormat. Current phase: [phase]. Schedules to check: door, finish, window.
How It Works
Most RFIs aren't about ambiguous design — they're about mismatches between
what the drawings say and what the specs say. This recipe runs a structured
coordination pass that cross-references schedules, keynotes, and spec sections,
checks terminology alignment, and flags conflicts before the set goes out.
What You Get
- Coordination matrix: maps schedules ↔ keynotes ↔ spec sections so nothing is orphaned
- Terminology check: verifies that drawing callouts match spec "Section Includes" language
- Issue list: conflicts, missing spec references, and ambiguous notes — each with a location reference
- Draft RFIs for unresolved conflicts: if something can't be fixed before issue, draft the RFI yourself
- QA archive: audit output saved as a quality artifact alongside the issued set
Setup Steps
- Set your spec standard (CSI MasterFormat or your local equivalent)
- Define the phase for the current issue set (SD, DD, CD)
- List the schedules to check (door, finish, window, equipment, etc.)
- Run the audit before every issue set — especially before DD/CD/permit milestones
Tips
- Run this when a spec section gets materially revised or a product substitution comes in — don't wait for the milestone
- The coordination matrix is worth maintaining as a living document throughout the project
- Prioritize the issue list by likelihood of generating an RFI in the field
- This pairs well with the Drawing Set QA/QC Gate recipe for a complete pre-issue review