WebFormat™

by Colin Gilboy, PE, CSI, CCPR

Despite its promise, Internet product research is still enormously time-consuming and frequently unproductive.

Creating a Common Language® is a mission of CSRF. WebFormat™ is our recommended layout for construction product web sites. WebFormat® is intended to be a starting spot for manufacturers' web designers, not a limiting document. By demonstrating a simple and effective web site, manufacturers will be able to show their web designers what architects want and make their web site more effective.

Web designers, not usually familiar with the design and specification requirements of the construction professional, have designed most product web sites. Many web sites are little more than an electronic representations of ads or product literature and do not provide ready access to all the desired design information. Worse yet, the design information may not even be available online. The fundamental purpose of this article is to assist the manufacturer to provide more design data, less junk graphics and not waste a construction professional's time. An example of a simplified design for construction product web sites following WebFormat® guidelines may be viewed by clicking here.

This sample home page demonstrates that a simple page can be effective:

1. The user quickly knows what products the company makes and provides easy access to all the design data.
2. The total of all the images and text on the HardKnox sample is 35,000 bytes, which will load in total of 12 seconds on a standard modem connection at 28.8.
3. You can find the company address and know how to contact them by email and phone.

The product information is accessed in two ways - by type of information (specs and CAD) and by product or CSI section.

Using separate product pages for each product or product group, the user can quickly know what information is available online. The objective is to provide the architect and specifier with easy and logical access to all the information they need to incorporate your products into their design or into the construction project.

The final list will vary with the type of product, and items should be omitted when not appropriate. Additional information can be added as appropriate. Each of these should link to a page with the additional information.

For construction professionals, if you like this proposed web site design, give a copy of this article to manufacturers you meet with. Tell the manufacturer you want information presented in this way in a fast and easy to use web site.

About the author: Colin Gilboy, P.E., CSI is President of 4specs.com, Inc., and is a Director of CSRF. He can be reached at colin@4specs.com.

The CSRF newsletter is published for SPECTEXT® subscribers and others involved in design and construction. To obtain your copy of Creating a Common Language®, please contact the CSRF Support Center by telephone at 1-877- SPECTXT or 410-838-7561 or you may e-mail us at supportcenter@csrf.org

©  Copyright 2007, The Construction Sciences Research Foundation, Inc.  Updated January 12, 2007.