AIC AO flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Active listening

A communication technique in which the receiver attends fully, paraphrases the sender's message, reflects feelings, and asks clarifying questions to confirm understanding before responding.

Communication channel richness

The capacity of a medium to convey meaning: face-to-face is richest because it carries immediate feedback and nonverbal cues; written impersonal media are leanest.

Communication plan

A document identifying stakeholders, their information needs, message format, frequency, responsible sender, and escalation path for project communications.

Thomas-Kilmann conflict modes

Five conflict-handling approaches: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating. Collaborating seeks a win-win outcome and suits important issues with adequate time.

Stress and strain

Stress is force per unit area (σ = P/A); strain is change in length over original length (ε = ΔL/L). Their ratio in the elastic range is the modulus of elasticity.

Water-cement ratio

The mass of water divided by mass of cement in a concrete mix. Lower ratios increase strength and reduce permeability; higher ratios improve workability but weaken concrete.

Optimum moisture content

The moisture percentage at which a soil reaches maximum dry density under a given compaction effort, determined by a Proctor test.

Factor of safety

The ratio of a structure's ultimate or yield capacity to the allowable or design load, accounting for uncertainty in loads, materials, and analysis.

Projectized organization

An organizational structure in which teams report directly to the project manager, who holds high authority over resources and priorities; staff are often co-located.

Triple constraint

The interdependent project constraints of scope, schedule, and cost, with quality affected by all three; changing one typically requires adjusting another.

Herzberg two-factor theory

Hygiene factors such as pay and working conditions prevent dissatisfaction but do not motivate; motivators such as achievement and recognition create satisfaction and drive performance.

Stakeholder power-interest grid

A classification mapping stakeholders by influence and interest; high power with high interest requires close management, while low power with low interest needs only monitoring.

Level of Development (LOD)

A BIM classification from 100 to 500 describing how reliable and complete a model element is, from conceptual through as-built, for use by project teams.

Clash detection

A modeling process that compares building systems across disciplines, such as structure and mechanical piping, to find and resolve spatial conflicts before construction.

Cut and fill balance

An earthwork approach that matches excavated cut volume to required fill volume on site, minimizing haul distance and off-site disposal or import costs.

Slump test

A field test measuring fresh concrete workability by the vertical settlement of a standard cone; it indicates consistency but not directly compressive strength.

Bid bond

A surety instrument guaranteeing that a selected bidder will enter the contract and furnish required bonds; failure allows the owner to claim the difference.

Quantity takeoff

A measured inventory of materials and work items derived from drawings and specifications, forming the basis for pricing in an estimate.

Addendum

A written modification to bidding documents issued before bid opening; bidders must acknowledge material addenda or risk having their bid rejected.

Unbalanced bid

A bid that raises prices on early or likely-increased items and lowers others, increasing cash flow or profit; it may be rejected as nonresponsive.

Cost Performance Index

Earned value divided by actual cost (CPI = EV/AC). A value below 1.0 means work is costing more than planned per unit of earned value.

Estimate at Completion

A forecast of total project cost. The common formula EAC = BAC/CPI assumes current cost performance continues; EAC = AC + (BAC − EV) assumes remaining work proceeds at budget.

Management reserve

A contingency fund held outside the cost baseline for unknown-unknown risks; it requires management approval and is not part of the project budget baseline.

Life-cycle cost

The total cost of a facility over its full life, including acquisition, operation, maintenance, and disposal, used to compare design alternatives.

Total float

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying project completion, calculated as late start minus early start or late finish minus early finish.

Critical path

The longest-duration sequence of dependent activities through a network; it determines project duration and has zero total float.

PERT expected duration

A weighted three-point estimate: (Optimistic + 4×Most Likely + Pessimistic)/6, with variance equal to ((Pessimistic − Optimistic)/6) squared.

Resource leveling

A scheduling technique that adjusts activity timing to resolve resource peaks or shortages; it may extend project duration and can change the critical path.

Hierarchy of controls

A safety ranking from most to least effective: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, then personal protective equipment as the last defense.

Excavation protective system

A shoring, shielding, sloping, or benching system required for trenches 5 feet or deeper; spoil and equipment must be kept at least 2 feet from the edge.

Job Hazard Analysis

A pre-task process that breaks work into steps, identifies hazards at each step, and defines controls and required PPE before work begins.

Change order

A written, signed modification to the contract adjusting scope, price, or time; a construction change directive orders the work before price is fully agreed.

Retainage

A percentage of each progress payment withheld by the owner until substantial or final completion to protect against incomplete or defective work.