Key points
- Missing methods and tolerances are the most common defects.
- Unverified parameters create false confidence.
- Ambiguity is always resolved in favour of the party that did not write it.
Typical defects
Parameters without methods, values without a moisture basis, tolerances that ignore analytical reproducibility, no physical requirements, no packaging requirements, and no sampling or acceptance procedure.
Consequence in practice
A dispute becomes a debate about intention rather than a comparison against a standard. The party holding the better-documented position usually prevails, regardless of who is technically correct about the material.
What to verify
- Every parameter has a limit, method, tolerance and basis
- Sampling and acceptance procedure written into the contract
- Physical and packaging requirements included
Risks to manage
- Compliant material that cannot be processed
- Deviation with no enforceable remedy
- Two laboratories producing different valid results with no umpire clause
Common mistakes
- Adopting a supplier datasheet as the specification
- Specifying parameters that will never be tested
- Omitting the sampling protocol
Frequently asked questions
Can a specification be too detailed?
Yes, when it lists parameters no one verifies. That inflates administration and weakens credibility without adding protection.
Who should own the specification?
Quality or technical for the limits and methods, with procurement owning the commercial and packaging content and controlling versioning.
Related reading
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