My Worst Spec Mistakes, and what I've Learned
Mistakes are inevitable, Recovery from them is an Artform
October 01, 2025 | By Andrew Brassington, CTR
Keith Robinson FCSC FCSI RSW LEED AP® has been a specification writer since 1980, joining Cohos Evamy in December 1997, which later became DIALOG in September 2010. Upon retiring in 2023, Keith transitioned to mentoring emerging specification writers, collaborating with trade associations to enhance technical documentation, and contributing to the development of an AI Agent capable of reading and extracting key information from project manuals.
Throughout his career, Keith has gained significant insight into learning from errors and embracing mistakes as opportunities for growth. While it is often said that one learns through making mistakes, Keith emphasises the importance of acknowledging them, understanding their implications, and leveraging them as catalysts for innovation and improvement.
Although absolute perfection remains unattainable, mistakes can be minimized through thoughtful consideration, thorough preparation, and strategic planning. In his presentation, Keith will share several examples from his professional experience and invite audience members to contribute their own challenges. The session aims not necessarily to provide specific solutions, but rather to introduce practical tools that facilitate recovery and continued professional development.
