Mar 1, 2005 08:39
19 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term

drive specifications

English Other Other
"...fabricators who will promote XXX technology, support its branding, drive and create specifications, and generate opportunities for integration of natural and electric lighting control"

...can you help me with a synonym?

Discussion

Ken Cox Mar 3, 2005:
For your second sentence, it depends on the audience. The polite form is 'encourage... to specify/include', the brutal form is 'push'. It can also be more subtle: writing specs that can only be met using the technology instead of explicitly specifying it.
Non-ProZ.com Mar 3, 2005:
Dusty I think what I said is very similar to your suggestion
Non-ProZ.com Mar 3, 2005:
many thanks to all who answered in light of this sentence:
"Drive specifications for quiet electronic drive technology with architects and interior designers"

...might it be that they mean "push architects and interior designers so that they specify/include quiet electronic drive technology in their projects"?

Responses

48 mins
Selected

See comment below...

I think the meaning is slightly more figurative than what Didier suggests.

My interpretation would be more that the fabricators will be the 'driving force' behind specifications --- in other words, will put pressure on customers or specifiers / orderers to write requirements specifications that will favour this company's products, and so on.

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Note added at 2 days 22 hrs 45 mins (2005-03-04 07:25:11 GMT)
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Yes, Elena, in answer to your added note, I think that is exactly what they mean; of course, \'push\' is a little too literal --- \'bring pressure to bear\' might be better, but even that is probably not directly --- as KC says, the way you can \'drive specs\' [into specifying YOUR product instead of the competitor\'s] is to write them in such a way that only your product can meet them --- for example, you say \'must have a red knob\', when you know perfectly well that only product X is available with a red knob --- but you haven\'t actually SAID \'use product X\'!

The \'driving\' part lies in getting the people writing the specs to believe that they REALLY NEED a red knob!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thanks to all who answered!"
38 mins

suggest specifications

This means "lead the specifications team" (or at least participate in the task force); in my opinion this means that these people write RFCs (requests for comments) like the IETF group does for the Internet standards
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1 hr

instigate specifications

IMO, here 'drive' means literally 'push in a particular direction and/or for a particular purpose' (like driving cattle). In a more general sense, it means 'act to obtain a result' and implies not only direct action by the person or party involved, but also motivating others to act.
'Instigate' is only a partial synonym, but in combination with 'and create' it comes fairly close.
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+1
7 hrs

no synonym

The meaning is loaded, that is why "drive" is popular. It is a combination of the following:

1. To bring about the need for new specifications through the introduction of new features and products that will require integration with other products and systems. In a sense they are the raison d'etre of many specification activities.

2. They advance (pressure is a small overstatement) the creation, acceptance, and evolution of these specifications.

3. They promote these specifications once accepted. This is essential for the marketability of their new features.

Of these three points, the first one is by far the most important. Just by introducing new products and features, they intorduce the need for new specifications, and to a great extent they shape their direction. Well, perhaps the closest possible to a synonym you can get is "to direct", but "to drive" is still the best suited word for this concept.
Peer comment(s):

agree Tony M
2 days 15 hrs
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