PRODUCT ANALYSIS BY CO‐ORDINATE INDEX

As architects with a specialized practice giving advice to manufacturers and others on product development and performance specification, we find the handling and interpretation of information forms an important part of our work. In 1964 we were commissioned to investigate the building industry in Britain with regard to demand, resources and techniques. Among other things, this task entailed analysing 330 proprietary building systems. To study and compare products in this advanced technical area was obviously going to be a far more complicated process than a straightforward comparison of single materials or appliances, and a suitable method for doing it had to be found. The following is an account of the steps that led us to co‐ordinate indexing and our application of the system.