Understanding the key AD terms ‘lingo’ that will be presented in this video will help you better partner with these important stakeholders in the contract interior industry.  

• Plan View – This is a construction document from the perspective of above the floor looking down. We can see layout of walls, doors and windows… and the plan view will often let us know floor material, room dimensions and overall structure of the space.  
• Furniture plan – This is very much what it sounds like, a drawing that locates and identifies the new and existing furniture in the proposed floorplan. 
• AutoCAD – This is a very common commercial computer-aided design and drafting application. Other space visualization tools include REVit, Sketchup, CET Designer, GIZA, CAP and Archicad. 
• Spec – (short for specifications) refers to the information required to order or procure a piece of furniture. This normally includes manufacturers SKU or item number, color, finish, size and any other important information.  
• Special – The term special is used anytime furniture has to be ordered through a manufacturer outside the standard size or finish. Specials often come with a higher price and/or longer lead time.  
• Textiles – These are flexible materials made by creating an interlocking network of yard or threads. By weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, tatting, felting, bonding or braiding these yards together… textiles are formed that can be used on products like seating and panels.  
• SIF Files – Or Standard Interchange Format files are quite common in the contract furniture industry. This file is created from the bill of materials (also known as a BOM) and then used by specifiers, designers and manufacturers to facility the ordering and procurement of the furniture.  
• Adjacency Requirements – Or adjacency matrix, is a table that shows what spaces should and should not be near to each other on plan. This helps organize and coordinate which rooms and teams should be in close proximity to one another. 
• Isometric drawing – This is a 3D representation on a 2D surface. This could be an object, room, building or design. Compared to other types of 3D representation, the final image of an isometric drawing is not distorted. Isometric comes from Greek meaning ‘equal measure’.  
• Lead Time – This is the length of time it takes for an order to be delivered once it is ordered. Product, manufacturer, location, materials used, quantity and even time of year can impact lead time.  
• Punchlist – This is a document created near the end of a project, usually at final walk through, that outlines any work not conforming to the contract. This list is the work that must be completed before final payment is made.  

Of course, we didn’t cover every term used by our friends in the Architecture and Design world today, but this group provide a great start in talking like a designer so you can understand, collaborate and work more effectively with them on your next project.