Did you ever spend time pondering facility life cycles? Do you know who is on a typical construction project team? Do you know which construction documents are contract documents? Did you ever wonder how projects get built? Do any of these questions keep you up at night?
If you are a member of the AEC industry and don’t know the correct answers to these questions, they should keep you up at night. If you are employed in the AEC industry, you should be a member of CSI, and you should hold the CDT. CSI is the one place where all members of the project team can sit down together as equals and discuss matters of mutual concern. The Mission of CSI is to advance building information management and education of project teams to improve facility performance.
The CDT is the entry level credential offered by CSI. According to the CSI website, “the CDT Program provides a comprehensive overview for anyone who writes, interprets, enforces, or manages construction documents. Project architects, contractors, contract administrators, material suppliers, and manufacturers’ representatives are all realizing the advantages of being Construction Documents Technologists”. “By being able to understand and interpret written construction documents, CDTs perform their jobs more effectively. By understanding the roles and relationships of all participants, CDTs improve communication among all members of the construction team”. The credential is beneficial for architects and engineers, construction administration staff, construction product representatives, constructors, and professionals in other construction occupations.
The CDT Exam is administered each year during set periods in the spring and fall. Because the exam is not an easy one, the time to begin study for the Spring 2016 exam is NOW. Study materials are available from the CSI website. The CDT Candidate Handbook lists the domains covered by the exam and the proportion of the exam dedicated to each. It also lists the source materials that are to be studied by the exam candidate in order to pass the exam.
The CDT is the gateway to CSI’s Certification Program, and is a prerequisite for all of the advanced certifications offered by CSI. It is a lifetime achievement and use of the letters CDT on your business card will gain you recognition within the industry as an individual who is knowledgeable in the construction process and documentation.
Watch the CSI website for when the registration window opens for the exam, but you should be studying now. The information you need is available at http://csinet.org/main/certification/CDT .
Charlottesville Architect 
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