Wondering how AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) professionals actually begin their search for products to specify? Where do they turn to first? What makes them feel confident choosing one manufacturer over another?

Today, we’re uncovering it all based on findings from a survey conducted by CADdetails in January 2026 on a sample of AEC users. The results provide a clear snapshot of how today’s design professionals discover, evaluate, and specify product, helping manufacturers like you better understand what influences specification decisions and how to position their products more effectively.

• Searching for Products
• Making Specification Decisions
• Using CADdetails

Searching for Products

This means visibility and accessibility matter more than ever. When AEC professionals are working under tight deadlines, they don’t have time to chase down information or request missing files. Your products need to be:

• Easy to find online
• Clearly categorized
• Supported with downloadable design files
• Available 24/7 so AECs can self-serve without delay

Most AEC professionals begin their product research directly on manufacturer websites.

By the time specifiers reach your site, they’re already aware of your brand and actively evaluating your products, giving you an advantage over competing manufacturers. The key is to keep them engaged and prevent them from leaving your site to search elsewhere for information or alternatives.

Your website should make it easy to access essential resources such as CAD, BIM, and 3D files, specifications, installation guides, certifications, compliance documentation, and more. The faster and easier it is for specifiers to find the information they need, the more likely your products are to make the shortlist.

Most AEC professionals use specification platforms like CADdetails to discover new products and manufacturers.

Specification platforms make it easier for AEC professionals to compare products, evaluate manufacturers, and access the technical resources they need, all in one place. By listing your products on these platforms, you increase your visibility to active specifiers and improve your chances of being discovered earlier in the specifier journey.

Making Specification Decisions

Your design content doesn’t just support the specification process—it directly impacts credibility. Poor-quality or incomplete files create friction and erode trust.

Your files need to be:

• Accurate and up to date
• Detailed and easy to integrate into design plans
• Consistent across platforms
• Created to industry standards

If you need help improving your technical content, our Technical Member Program can help ensure your files meet industry expectations. 

Performance/spec compliance and price/budget are the two biggest considerations for AEC professionals when making product decisions.

Specifiers need to quickly understand whether your product fits both the technical and financial requirements of their project.

Even visually appealing products may not get specified if they fail to meet technical requirements or budget constraints. Your product messaging should clearly communicate performance capabilities, compliance with codes and standards, as well as long-term value and cost efficiency.

Most AEC professionals view technical education (learning how to specify and use products) as the most valuable type of manufacturer outreach.

Design professionals are looking for practical expertise, not just sales messaging. That means you should focus on educational content like CEU courses, product application guides, installation best practices, webinars, and lunch-and-learns.

Providing educational value helps position your brand as a trusted technical partner rather than just another vendor. Educational resources like CEU courses are also essential for design professionals who need ongoing learning to maintain their credentials and stay current in the industry. By supporting their professional development, you keep your brand top of mind, making it more likely they’ll consider your products when future projects call for your product category.

Using CADdetails

This means they often already know what they need, and they’re searching for the fastest path to the right solution. To improve discoverability and help your products appear in the right searches, consider boosting your products with Ad Bundles.

The most common reason AEC professionals find a file unusable is missing details or dimensions.

Incomplete files slow down projects and create unnecessary frustration. The more complete and reliable your files are, the more likely specifiers are to choose your products.

The two most common actions AEC professionals take after discovering a manufacturer on CADdetails are downloading files and visiting the manufacturer’s website.

This highlights the importance of both your downloadable technical content and your broader digital experience. Your CADdetails profile and website should work together seamlessly to make it easy to move from discovery to specification.

Key Takeaways

Today’s AEC professionals work under tight timelines and rely heavily on digital tools to discover and evaluate products. Manufacturers that provide accessible technical resources, strong search visibility, and high-quality product content are better positioned to earn trust and win specifications.

Remember: success depends not only on product quality and completeness, but also on how easily design professionals can find, evaluate, and specify your products.

Want deeper insights into AEC product discovery and specification behavior?

Download the full CADdetails 2026 AEC Survey Results to explore the complete findings.

Cover image by Nusrat Ali on Unsplash