Fiber U

Fiber Optic Network Design And Management

Lesson Plan 
No. 6: Writing Project Specifications, Documentation, Estimating

 
drawings

Objectives: From this self-study lesson you should learn:
  • What paperwork and documentation will be needed for the project
  • Differences between a Scope of Work (SOW), Request for Proposal (RFP) and Request for Quote (RFQ).
  • How to write specifications for a project that will properly define the project and be clear to all parties involved.

We call it "paperwork" but most of it is now electronic documents, like the CAD drawing shown above.

The key to any successful project is an understanding of the project, the requirements of the customer and the expectations of the contractor. These are spelled out in a number of documents that are created by and often negotiated among the parties involved. The paperwork begins before the project starts so the scope of work is known to everyone and end only when the final copies of the documentation are presented to the customer. Here are descriptions of the most common documents, the Scope of Work (SOW), Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ) and contract, that are used to define a project.

Sometimes the designer also is the estimator. We include a link to an article on estimating so you will be familiar with that process whether or not you do the actual estimating.

Note: There is a whole category of paperwork we do not address here, the actual technical design documentation which includes drawings of the project, lists of components, installation instructions, etc. which is dependent on the way the designer works and generally the software they use. We leave learning that part of the design process to the user or perhaps another future lesson plan.


Student Assignment
Watch the video, read the references and take the quizzes (Test Your Knowledge)


Online FOA Reference
Fiber Optics, The Basics, Fiber Optic Network Design
Project Documentation  

or the same sections in:
Outside Plant Fiber Optics, Fiber Optic Network Design 
Project Documentation  

Project Paperwork  

Estimating Fiber Optic Projects  


Book Chapter:

FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optic Network Design, Chapter 7




Test Your Knowledge: Online Quiz


Next Lesson: Planning and Managing Projects 




 

Table of Contents: The FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics

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