CDIP study plan

CDIP · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 6 hours per week

Week 1

Capture

Map the capture domain into a one-page outline covering scan hardware types, capture settings, and image quality parameters
Define, in your own words, resolution, bit depth, color mode, and compression and state how each affects file size and fidelity
Compute storage estimates for 500 pages at 300 dpi bitonal versus 300 dpi color and compare the results
Identify the input devices and capture settings used in your own organization and record their current values

A two-page capture reference sheet with your storage-estimate calculations shown and a table of your organization's current scan settings

Week 2

Explain how image enhancement features (deskew, despeckle, blank-page removal, auto-orientation) change output and when each can harm legibility
Describe OCR accuracy factors and list at least five conditions that degrade recognition
Sequence the steps of a capture workflow from intake to quality control and justify the order
Draft a 10-point image quality checklist a reviewer could apply to a scanned batch

A 10-item image quality checklist plus a written walkthrough of one capture workflow from intake to QC sign-off

Week 3

Compare SAN, NAS, and object storage on access pattern, scalability, and typical document-imaging use
Explain RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 6 and state the failure tolerance of each
Calculate usable capacity and estimate annual growth for a repository given a starting volume and a growth rate
Distinguish backup, replication, and archival retention and match each to a business requirement

A storage sizing worksheet for a sample repository with usable capacity, growth projection, and a justified RAID recommendation

Week 4

Describe indexing approaches (full-text, metadata, database-backed) and the tradeoffs of each for retrieval speed
Explain how a document is located end to end from a search term to the retrieved file
Compare migration strategies for moving a repository between systems and list the risks of each
Design a retention and disposition schedule that ties document classes to retention periods

A retrieval design document tracing one search query from term to file, plus a retention schedule covering at least five document classes

Week 5

Diagram a document lifecycle from capture through disposition with the decision point at each stage
Model a simple workflow in which routing rules, approvals, and exception handling are all defined
Define measurable service levels for indexing turnaround and exception resolution
Identify three bottlenecks in a workflow you know and propose a measurable fix for each

A workflow diagram with written routing rules, exception paths, and service-level targets for each stage

Week 6

Explain how workflow queues, task assignment, and audit trails support process management and accountability
Compare output formats (PDF, PDF/A, TIFF) on fidelity, longevity, and suitability for distribution
Describe how indexes and metadata drive output: printing, export, and delivery to downstream systems
List the controls that keep distributed output accurate, complete, and traceable to the source document

An output specification for one document type naming the format, metadata fields, delivery channel, and verification step

Week 7

Summarize the purpose and scope of records management standards relevant to imaging programs and how they shape retention and auditability
Map access control concepts (authentication, authorization, roles, least privilege) onto a document repository
List the security controls that protect documents at rest, in transit, and in use, and name a control gap in a system you know
Describe how audit logging, legal hold, and disposition approval support compliance

A compliance and security control matrix mapping at least eight controls to the risks they mitigate, with one identified gap and a remediation note

Week 8

Revisit every domain outline and rate your confidence per topic, then re-study the three weakest areas
Answer timed practice sets weighted by domain percentage and review every missed item to its root cause
Explain aloud, without notes, how capture, storage, workflow, output, and compliance connect in one end-to-end scenario
Confirm logistics: exam format, timing, identification requirements, and test-day plan

A one-page weak-area remediation log with root causes and a timed practice score recorded per domain

Week 2: Explain capture settings and image quality tradeoffs from memory and pass your own 10-point checklist against a sample batch

Week 4: Produce a storage sizing and retrieval design that another person could follow without asking you questions

Week 6: Walk through one document end to end, capture to output, naming the workflow and format decision at each stage

Week 8: Score at or above your target on a timed mixed-domain practice set and show a remediation log with no unresolved root causes