CSI CDT study guide
CSI CDT · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Construction Documents Technologist (CDT®) is a certification offered by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) that, in CSI's words, "gives you the skills and confidence to interpret, organize, and communicate construction information clearly-no matter your role on the project team." CSI describes itself as "the construction community's authority on communication and construction documentation," and frames the CDT as proof of a comprehensive understanding of how to effectively interpret and communicate construction documentation. The credential is aimed at a broad slice of the AECO industry rather than a single job title. The CSI CDT study guide has 4 sections and about 1,723 words.
01Construction Documentation Development and Administration
The Construction Documentation Development and Administration domain tests how contract documents are assembled, issued, changed, and closed out over a project's life. Expect questions on the composition of the Project Manual, the division of information between drawings and specifications, document control during bidding and construction, and the administrative instruments - addenda, RFIs, submittals, change orders - that keep the record reliable.
451 words, about 2 min02Specification Writing and Enforcement
The Specification Writing and Enforcement domain tests whether you can organize, word, and enforce specifications so they are unambiguous and legally useful. Questions target MasterFormat and SectionFormat structure, the role of Division 01, specification language style, and the mechanisms - submittals, substitutions, mockups, field testing - that verify compliance.
420 words, about 2 min03Product Research and Sourcing
Product Research and Sourcing tests how you identify candidate products, verify their claims, compare them on defensible criteria, and document them so the project can actually buy and install them. Expect questions on test standards and listings, sustainability documentation, commercial factors, and the disciplined comparison of substitutions.
414 words, about 2 min04Communication with the Design and Contracting Teams
Communication with the Design and Contracting Teams tests whether you can move information between owner, design professional, contractor, and suppliers without losing decisions, creating unauthorized direction, or breaking the contractual chain. Questions focus on roles and lines of communication, the standard instruments (RFIs, transmittals, minutes, field reports), and how a conflict becomes a documented outcome.
438 words, about 2 min