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EDAC practice questions

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Question 1Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Evidence-based design is best defined as which of the following?

  1. Relying on the design team's professional intuition and past experience
  2. Using current best evidence and informed client input to guide design decisions Correct answer.
  3. Applying building codes and regulatory standards as the primary guide
  4. Copying the design features of recently built award-winning hospitals

Explanation

Evidence-based design is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence from research and practice, combined with an informed client, when making critical decisions about each unique project. It is a decision process, not a fixed catalogue of solutions, and it explicitly pairs evidence with client goals and project context.

Question 2Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

In the evidence hierarchies typically used in healthcare design, which type of evidence generally sits at the top?

  1. Expert opinion from a panel of experienced practitioners
  2. A prospective cohort study conducted at one hospital
  3. A systematic review or meta-analysis of multiple studies Correct answer.
  4. A single well-designed randomized controlled trial

Explanation

Evidence hierarchies rank study types by their susceptibility to bias, and syntheses of multiple studies generally rank above any individual study. A systematic review applies an explicit, reproducible method to find and appraise all relevant studies, reducing the chance that conclusions rest on one sample or one setting.

Question 3Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Ulrich's classic study of patients recovering from gallbladder surgery found that patients whose rooms looked onto trees, compared with patients facing a brick wall, had which outcome?

  1. Higher satisfaction with physician communication
  2. Lower rates of surgical site infection
  3. Shorter postoperative stays and fewer injections of strong pain medication Correct answer.
  4. Shorter waits for elective surgery

Explanation

The study compared matched groups assigned to rooms with a natural view versus a built view and examined recovery records. The nature-view group had shorter postoperative stays and required fewer doses of potent analgesics, supporting the link between views and clinical recovery.

Question 4Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Compared with multi-bed wards, single-patient rooms most consistently show which benefit in the published literature?

  1. Substantially lower first-cost construction per bed
  2. Lower infection risk, with greater patient privacy Correct answer.
  3. More efficient use of the mechanical ventilation system
  4. Shorter walking distances for nursing staff on the unit

Explanation

Single rooms reduce opportunities for cross-transmission between patients, support privacy and confidentiality, and make it easier to control the room's air and noise environment. The literature consistently reports infection reduction and privacy gains, while first cost per bed is higher and staff walking distances may increase.

Question 5Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

The Pebble Project is best described as which of the following?

  1. A government agency that enforces healthcare building codes
  2. A credentialing exam administered to healthcare design professionals
  3. A collaborative of hospitals sharing design and performance data Correct answer.
  4. A peer-reviewed journal that publishes evidence-based design studies

Explanation

The Pebble Project is a research collaborative in which participating healthcare organizations commit to designing with evidence and to sharing the resulting performance data. The pooled experience of participants is intended to broaden the body of evidence available to the whole field.

Question 6Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

The Fable Hospital case was developed primarily to do which of the following?

  1. Establish minimum space standards for inpatient nursing units
  2. Illustrate the financial return on evidence-based design investments Correct answer.
  3. Compare infection rates across three real hospital campuses
  4. Document the construction cost of a typical community hospital

Explanation

Fable Hospital is a constructed hypothetical project used to show how added first cost for better design features can be offset by operating savings and new revenue. Its purpose is persuasive and illustrative: to give design and finance teams a model for framing the business case rather than to set standards or report real cost data.

Question 7Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Which of the following is a downstream financial benefit commonly used in the business case for evidence-based design?

  1. Greater expenditure on building finishes
  2. Increased square footage per patient bed
  3. Higher fees paid to the design architect
  4. Lower spending on nurse recruitment and turnover Correct answer.

Explanation

A business case compares added capital cost against operating and revenue effects that follow the design decision. Improved working conditions that raise staff retention reduce recruitment, orientation and temporary staffing costs, which are recurring operating expenses that a design investment can influence.

Question 8Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Which term describes a study in which participants are assigned to a design condition by chance rather than by choice?

  1. Cross-sectional survey
  2. Case study
  3. Retrospective cohort
  4. Randomized controlled trial Correct answer.

Explanation

Random assignment is the defining feature of a randomized controlled trial, and it is what allows the groups to be comparable on known and unknown characteristics before the intervention. This reduces the plausibility that differences in outcome are due to pre-existing differences between the groups.

Question 9Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

When a hospital replaces a central nursing station with decentralized charting alcoves, the most frequently reported operational benefit is which of the following?

  1. Lower construction cost for the nursing unit
  2. Elimination of the need for medication rooms
  3. Less staff time spent walking, freeing time for patient care Correct answer.
  4. Reduced nurse staffing requirements per shift

Explanation

Time-and-motion studies in inpatient units repeatedly identify walking as a large share of nursing work. Placing charting, supplies and handwashing close to patients shortens trips and shifts time toward direct care and observation.

Question 10Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Designing inpatient units with acuity-adaptable rooms is primarily intended to achieve which outcome?

  1. Reduce the number of transfers a patient experiences Correct answer.
  2. Shorten the construction schedule for the bed tower
  3. Eliminate the need for intensive care unit beds
  4. Allow one nurse to care for twice as many patients

Explanation

Acuity-adaptable rooms are built to support a wide range of care intensity so that patients can stay in one room as their condition changes. Fewer moves reduce handoff errors, lost belongings, patient and family disruption, and the staff labor associated with transfer.

Question 11Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Within the evidence-based design process, what is the purpose of stating a hypothesis?

  1. To fix the construction budget before design begins
  2. To satisfy the requirement for institutional review board approval
  3. To summarize the published literature for the client
  4. To state a testable link between a design action and an outcome Correct answer.

Explanation

A hypothesis commits the team to a specific, measurable prediction, such as a design change producing a stated reduction in falls or transfers. It converts a general aspiration into something that can be tested with baseline and post-occupancy data.

Question 12Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Why is it important to collect baseline performance data before a new unit opens?

  1. It is required by most building codes before occupancy
  2. It provides the comparison point for post-occupancy measurement Correct answer.
  3. It guarantees the project will meet its budget
  4. It allows the design team to skip a literature review

Explanation

Measuring change requires a before-and-after comparison on the same metrics, collected in comparable ways. Without a pre-occupancy baseline, post-occupancy results cannot be attributed to the design with any confidence, and the project loses its ability to contribute usable evidence.

Question 13Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

A post-occupancy evaluation is best described as which of the following?

  1. A review of construction documents by an independent architect
  2. A final inspection conducted to obtain a certificate of occupancy
  3. A survey of construction costs after the project closes out
  4. A systematic assessment of how a completed building performs in use Correct answer.

Explanation

A post-occupancy evaluation examines the operating building against its intended goals using measured data and user input, closing the loop on the design hypothesis. It differs from code compliance inspections and from document review, which occur before or at handover.

Question 14Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

A proposed design change adds $600,000 in first cost and is projected to save $150,000 per year in operating costs. What is the simple payback period?

  1. Two years
  2. Six years
  3. Four years Correct answer.
  4. Nine years

Explanation

Simple payback divides the added first cost by the annual savings: $600,000 divided by $150,000 equals four years. Payback is a screening measure that shows how quickly the investment is recovered, before any discounting or consideration of benefits beyond that point.

Question 15Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

A hospital opens a new inpatient wing and observes that infection rates fall. Which circumstance would most weaken the claim that the new design caused the improvement?

  1. The wing contains forty inpatient beds
  2. The wing was occupied by adult medical patients
  3. A hospital-wide hand-hygiene campaign began in the same period Correct answer.
  4. The infection data were collected by the hospital's own staff

Explanation

A simultaneous change that also affects infection rates is a competing explanation, known as a history or secular-trend threat. When the design change and another intervention occur together, the observed improvement cannot be attributed to the design alone.

Question 16Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Which statement best reflects how evidence should be used in an evidence-based design project?

  1. Evidence informs decisions along with client goals and project constraints Correct answer.
  2. Evidence is unnecessary once the client has a clear vision
  3. Evidence alone should determine every design decision
  4. Only double-blind trials count as usable evidence

Explanation

Evidence-based design is explicitly a decision process in which rigorous evidence is weighed together with the client's objectives, the specific population and setting, and budget, schedule and regulatory limits. Evidence narrows and informs choices; it does not mechanically dictate them.

Question 17Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Studies of daylight in inpatient settings most commonly report which association?

  1. Increased need for artificial lighting controls
  2. Higher rates of patient falls at night
  3. Greater energy consumption per patient bed
  4. Shorter length of stay and better mood among patients Correct answer.

Explanation

Daylight exposure helps entrain circadian rhythms, and studies in healthcare settings link brighter, daylit rooms with better mood, less depression and, in some studies, shorter stays. These findings underpin the common recommendation to place patient rooms and staff work areas where daylight is available.

Question 18Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Why are healthcare-associated infections relevant to the business case for a design change?

  1. They are the largest line item in construction budgets
  2. They are typically covered by the architect's liability insurance
  3. Each prevented infection avoids real added cost and length of stay Correct answer.
  4. They cannot be influenced by the built environment

Explanation

Infections add attributable length of stay, medication and isolation costs, and under many payment arrangements the hospital absorbs some or all of that cost. A design feature that measurably reduces infection therefore produces an operating saving that can be compared against its first cost.

Question 19Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

When comparing two mechanical system options for a hospital, life-cycle costing requires the design team to consider which of the following?

  1. Only the energy code minimum requirements
  2. Only the maintenance staffing plan
  3. First cost plus operating and replacement costs over time Correct answer.
  4. Only the bid price submitted by each vendor

Explanation

Life-cycle costing totals the initial investment together with ongoing energy, water, maintenance, repair and replacement costs over the study period. This lets a team see whether a higher first cost buys a lower total cost of ownership.

Question 20Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

A design team finds one small study supporting a design feature and ten studies of similar size finding no effect. What is the most appropriate interpretation?

  1. The feature should be adopted because one study supports it
  2. All eleven studies should be disregarded as biased
  3. The ten negative studies are probably fraudulent
  4. The weight of evidence does not support the feature as effective Correct answer.

Explanation

Evidence is weighed as a body rather than selectively, and a single supportive finding surrounded by null results is more likely to be sampling variation than a real effect. The team should treat the feature as unproven and, if it is still pursued for other reasons, measure its performance locally.

Question 21Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Why does a well-conducted meta-analysis generally provide stronger guidance than any single study on the same question?

  1. It pools results across studies, increasing precision Correct answer.
  2. It guarantees that the pooled estimate is causal
  3. It avoids the need to assess study quality or bias
  4. It uses only studies conducted by the same research team

Explanation

Pooling results across multiple samples increases the effective sample size and narrows the confidence interval around the estimated effect. It also reveals whether findings are consistent across settings, which is directly useful when applying evidence to a new project.

Question 22Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

A unit is renovated and staff satisfaction rises in the six months after occupancy. Only one post-move survey is available. Which threat to the validity of a causal claim is most directly present?

  1. Sampling error
  2. Ceiling effect
  3. History, in the form of concurrent outside events Correct answer.
  4. Attrition bias

Explanation

Without repeated measures or a comparison group, any other change occurring in the same period could explain the rise, which is the history or secular-trend threat. A single post-move survey also cannot show whether the rise was temporary and attributable to novelty.

Question 23Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

In a business case projecting savings over ten years, why are future savings discounted to present value?

  1. Because money in hand now could earn a return if invested Correct answer.
  2. Because future costs are usually unknown
  3. To remove the effect of inflation on construction costs
  4. Because hospitals rarely keep records beyond five years

Explanation

Discounting reflects the opportunity cost of capital: a dollar received years from now is worth less than a dollar today because today's dollar could be invested or could reduce borrowing. Present value therefore puts first costs and future savings on a comparable basis.

Question 24Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

An evidence-based design team finds that the available evidence on a proposed feature is weak and conflicting. Which approach is most consistent with evidence-based design practice?

  1. Treat it as an untested hypothesis and build in measurement Correct answer.
  2. Reject the feature outright
  3. Wait for a randomized trial before making any decision
  4. Adopt the feature and describe it as evidence-based

Explanation

Where evidence is thin, the process calls for transparency: state the assumption, apply the best available reasoning, and collect local data so the project adds to what is known. This converts uncertainty into a measurable experiment rather than an unsupported claim.

Question 25Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

A frequent structural obstacle when making the business case for a hospital design investment is which of the following?

  1. Capital costs and operating savings fall to different budget holders Correct answer.
  2. Hospital finance departments do not track operating costs
  3. Operating savings always exceed added construction cost
  4. Design investments never affect operating performance

Explanation

Capital budgets are typically funded and approved separately from departmental operating budgets, so the group paying for a design upgrade is often not the group that captures the savings. A credible business case must show explicitly who pays and who benefits, and often requires an internal agreement to share the return.

Question 26Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Evidence-based design is best described as which of the following?

  1. Selecting features that the project's senior clinicians prefer based on their prior experience
  2. Replicating the design of the most recently completed hospital in the region, because it reflects current practice
  3. Basing design decisions on the best available research and then measuring the results Correct answer.
  4. Adopting the minimum design standard permitted by the applicable building code

Explanation

Evidence-based design treats design as a testable intervention: credible research informs the decision, and the project's own performance is then measured so the evidence base grows. Copying a nearby building or deferring to seniority may be reasonable inputs, but neither closes the loop between prediction and verified outcome.

Question 27Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

Which of the following is a first (capital) cost rather than an operating cost in a hospital design business case?

  1. Monthly cleaning contract for the newly opened wing
  2. Construction cost of the added rooftop mechanical plant Correct answer.
  3. Routine filter replacement in the air-handling units
  4. Annual electricity consumed by the lighting and cooling systems in the new patient tower

Explanation

Capital costs are one-time expenditures to acquire or build the asset, such as construction, equipment, and financing during construction. Operating costs recur over the life of the building and include utilities, maintenance, and contracted services.

Question 28Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

A team evaluating a new intensive care unit tracks both process and outcome measures. Which of the following is an outcome measure?

  1. Whether the completed unit matched the design guideline checklist
  2. The share of rooms built with an in-room bathroom and ceiling lift
  3. The rate of hospital-acquired infection per 1,000 patient days Correct answer.
  4. The number of hand-hygiene audits completed on the unit each month

Explanation

Outcome measures capture the end result experienced by patients or staff, such as infection rates, fall rates, or satisfaction. Process measures record whether an activity or design feature was implemented as planned and are useful mainly as evidence that the intervention actually occurred.

Question 29Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

A design team wants to apply findings from a study of single-occupancy patient rooms conducted at one large academic medical center to a small rural hospital. Which question matters most before the team applies that evidence?

  1. Whether every outcome in the study reached statistical significance
  2. Whether the authors have subsequently designed hospital buildings themselves
  3. Whether the study appeared in a journal with a high impact factor and a rigorous peer-review process
  4. Whether the study's setting and patient population resemble those where the design will be used Correct answer.

Explanation

External validity, or generalizability, determines whether a finding transfers from the study setting to a new one. Differences in patient acuity, staffing model, case mix, and building constraints can change whether the same design feature produces the same effect.

Question 30Evidence-based design concepts and the business case

A business case projects $2 million in savings from reduced patient falls, but the estimate depends on a single assumption about how much the design will reduce fall rates. Which analysis best tests how robust the conclusion is?

  1. Varying the fall-reduction assumption across a plausible range and re-testing the investment's net value Correct answer.
  2. Extending the projection horizon from five years to ten years at the same annual savings
  3. Discounting all projected future savings to present value using the organization's weighted average cost of capital
  4. Recomputing the payback period while holding the fall-reduction assumption unchanged

Explanation

Sensitivity analysis re-runs the financial model with each key assumption set to optimistic and pessimistic values, showing whether the decision still holds when the estimate is uncertain. A conclusion that survives a plausible worst case is robust; one that collapses is a signal to gather better evidence before committing capital.

Question 31Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

In an evidence-based design project, what is a project goal?

  1. A broad statement of the desired end state Correct answer.
  2. A list of codes the building must satisfy
  3. A measurable target with a deadline attached
  4. A design solution drawn from published precedent

Explanation

Goals are broad, directional statements of what the owner and project team hope to achieve. They are later translated into specific, measurable objectives. A goal describes the destination rather than the precise target or the means of getting there.

Question 32Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

Which feature most clearly marks a statement as an objective rather than a goal?

  1. It describes the aesthetic character of the lobby
  2. It specifies a measurable amount and a time frame Correct answer.
  3. It states the long-range aspiration of the organization
  4. It records the concerns raised by a focus group

Explanation

Objectives translate a goal into something that can be verified, so they carry a metric, a target value, and usually a deadline. Goals remain broad and directional, while objectives make the intended change testable. Without a measurable target and a time frame, a statement remains at the goal level.

Question 33Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

Which word belongs to the standard SMART test for a well-written objective?

  1. Mandatory
  2. Monetary
  3. Memorable
  4. Measurable Correct answer.

Explanation

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Measurability is the element that lets a team check after occupancy whether the objective was achieved. The other words are not part of the acronym.

Question 34Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

In the evidence-based design process, which activity comes first?

  1. Selecting finish materials for durability
  2. Setting project goals and objectives Correct answer.
  3. Tracking outcomes after occupancy
  4. Value engineering the construction budget

Explanation

The evidence-based design process begins by defining goals and objectives, because these determine what evidence must be gathered and what outcomes must be measured. Material selection, value engineering, and post-occupancy tracking all follow from that foundation. Without stated goals, later decisions have no criteria for evaluation.

Question 35Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

Whose input matters most when a team writes goals for a new hospital unit?

  1. The landscape architect of record
  2. The staff and patients who will use the unit Correct answer.
  3. The manufacturer of the ceiling system
  4. The general contractor's scheduling staff

Explanation

Goals in evidence-based design are framed around the people the building serves, so the intended occupants and users are the primary source of need and outcome information. Suppliers, schedulers, and consultants contribute later to solutions and delivery. User involvement also strengthens later measurement because the outcomes matter to the people being studied.

Question 36Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

A visioning workshop held at project kickoff is mainly intended to do what?

  1. Assign responsibility for code compliance
  2. Verify the accuracy of the cost estimate
  3. Finalize the construction documents
  4. Agree on the desired future state of the project Correct answer.

Explanation

Visioning brings owners and stakeholders together to describe the future they want the project to create, which then anchors goals and objectives. It produces shared direction, not technical deliverables. Documents, estimates, and code duties come later in the process.

Question 37Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

What is a key performance indicator in an evidence-based design project?

  1. A clause in the architect's contract
  2. A metric used to judge whether goals are met Correct answer.
  3. A drawing that shows the room layout
  4. A schedule milestone for design delivery

Explanation

A key performance indicator is a metric selected in advance so the team can judge whether the project's goals were achieved. It is chosen while goals are being defined, which allows baseline data to be collected before design begins. Layouts, contract clauses, and milestones do not measure performance of the building.

Question 38Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

In evidence-based design, a design hypothesis is best described as what?

  1. A guarantee that the design will improve outcomes
  2. A legal waiver signed by the building owner
  3. A testable prediction linking design to outcomes Correct answer.
  4. A summary of the project's construction cost

Explanation

A design hypothesis states an expected causal relationship between a design intervention and an outcome, phrased so it can be tested. It gives the team a clear prediction to check against evidence and post-occupancy data. It is a provisional claim, not a guarantee or a contractual instrument.

Question 39Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

Which statement is best written as a project objective?

  1. Reflect the sponsor's values
  2. Apply evidence-based design throughout
  3. Create a calm, restorative, and welcoming healing environment
  4. Cut patient falls by 20% within one year of occupancy Correct answer.

Explanation

An objective names a specific outcome, a quantified target, and a time frame, which makes later evaluation possible. The other statements express intentions or aspirations without a measurable target. They belong at the goal or design-intent level.

Question 40Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

An owner's goal is to improve staff retention. Which statement best operationalizes that goal as an objective?

  1. Provide abundant daylight in all staff areas
  2. Hire a workplace consultant before design begins
  3. Reduce the gross square footage of the unit
  4. Lift staff satisfaction scores 15% by year two Correct answer.

Explanation

Operationalizing a goal means converting it into a measurable target with a time frame that logically connects to the goal. Satisfaction scores serve as a measurable proxy for retention, which is slow and difficult to observe directly. Daylight and area reductions are design decisions or strategies, not measurable objectives.

Question 41Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

A hospital presents twelve competing goals and a fixed budget. What is the most appropriate next step?

  1. Drop the goals that are hardest to measure
  2. Rank goals with the owner using agreed criteria Correct answer.
  3. Let the architect choose which goals to keep
  4. Keep all goals and cut construction scope instead

Explanation

When goals compete for limited resources, the team and owner should agree on explicit criteria and then prioritize the goals transparently. Difficulty of measurement is a reason to strengthen metrics, not to discard an important goal. Unilateral choices by the designer or blanket scope cuts leave the project without a defensible rationale.

Question 42Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

What does a gap analysis contribute when setting project goals?

  1. It fixes the construction schedule for the project
  2. It compares current with desired performance Correct answer.
  3. It calculates the design fee for each phase
  4. It replaces the need for a literature review

Explanation

A gap analysis contrasts how the organization or facility performs today with the desired level of performance, which clarifies where goals should focus. That contrast also supplies the baseline against which later outcomes are judged. It does not address fees or schedule, and it complements rather than replaces evidence review.

Question 43Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

How is benchmarking used when a team defines project goals?

  1. By comparing metrics with comparable facilities Correct answer.
  2. By copying the floor plan of a nearby hospital
  3. By adopting the owner's existing design standards
  4. By setting fees at the level of a rival design firm

Explanation

Benchmarking compares the project's intended or current performance metrics with those of comparable facilities to set realistic, evidence-informed targets. It is a quantitative comparison of outcomes, not a transfer of drawings or business terms. Design standards may inform solutions but are not benchmarks.

Question 44Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

What role does a literature review play in setting design goals?

  1. It links interventions to the chosen outcome Correct answer.
  2. It substitutes for measurable project objectives
  3. It records the building code requirements for the site
  4. It proves the owner's preferred design is correct

Explanation

A literature review identifies which design interventions have been shown to influence the outcomes the project cares about, so goals and strategies rest on evidence rather than preference. It informs the choice of objectives but does not replace them, and it neither proves a preferred design nor documents code.

Question 45Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

Two stakeholder groups want opposite things from the same waiting area. What is the best path forward?

  1. Defer the decision until after construction begins
  2. Let the largest stakeholder group dictate the design
  3. Surface the trade-off and negotiate a compromise Correct answer.
  4. Adopt the option that costs the least to build

Explanation

Conflicting goals should be made explicit so the team can weigh them against evidence and project priorities and then negotiate a documented compromise. Cost alone is not a criterion for resolving a performance conflict, and delay pushes the conflict into construction where it is expensive. Majority rule ignores legitimate needs of smaller groups.

Question 46Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

How does the functional program relate to project goals?

  1. It is prepared only after the building opens
  2. It records post-occupancy performance data
  3. It replaces goals with a list of rooms
  4. It turns goals into space and adjacency needs Correct answer.

Explanation

The functional program translates stated goals into the spaces, sizes, adjacencies, and relationships the building must provide. It is the bridge between intentions and design, so it should follow from goals rather than replace them. It is prepared during planning, long before occupancy data exist.

Question 47Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

A team wants to reduce patient anxiety in a procedure suite. Which measure is most appropriate?

  1. Anxiety scores on a validated scale Correct answer.
  2. The count of meetings held with the owner
  3. The number of square feet per patient room
  4. The installed cost of the lobby artwork

Explanation

The measure must directly reflect the outcome named in the objective, and a validated instrument for anxiety provides that direct link. Area, artwork cost, and meeting counts are project inputs or descriptors that say nothing about patient anxiety. Choosing an indirect measure would leave the goal untested.

Question 48Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

Which pairing correctly states a project goal with a design strategy intended to achieve it?

  1. Goal: reduce falls. Strategy: hire more security guards.
  2. Goal: reduce falls. Strategy: publish a peer-reviewed paper.
  3. Goal: reduce falls. Strategy: specify polished concrete floors.
  4. Goal: reduce falls. Strategy: install handrails in every corridor. Correct answer.

Explanation

A design strategy is a physical or environmental intervention expected to influence the stated outcome, and handrails are a well-supported fall-prevention measure. The other items are dissemination, staffing, or a finish choice that would plausibly increase risk. Matching a goal to a relevant intervention is the core linking step in evidence-based design.

Question 49Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

Why does the project team identify stakeholder groups before writing goals?

  1. To decide which groups will pay for the building
  2. To satisfy the requirement for competitive bidding
  3. To shorten the construction schedule by one month
  4. To ensure affected parties are represented Correct answer.

Explanation

Identifying stakeholders early ensures that everyone affected by the design has a voice in defining what success means, which improves both goal quality and later adoption. Funding decisions, scheduling, and procurement are separate processes. Representativeness is the purpose of stakeholder mapping in the goal-setting phase.

Question 50Evidence-based design process: defining goals and objectives

What is the main purpose of a design charrette during goal setting?

  1. To obtain the certificate of occupancy
  2. To align stakeholders on goals quickly Correct answer.
  3. To complete the detailed life-cycle cost analysis
  4. To award the construction contract

Explanation

A charrette is an intensive, facilitated working session that draws stakeholders together to reach shared understanding in a short time. In the goal-setting phase it is used to surface needs, resolve differences, and agree on priorities. Procurement, cost modeling, and occupancy certification are unrelated activities.