Professional Practice and Project Coordination
Professional Practice and Project Coordination
This domain tests business and delivery competence: contracts, scope, fees, schedules, consultants, and construction administration. Know the difference between basic services and additional services; define scope, deliverables, and assumptions in the agreement. The designer coordinates consultants but does not direct the contractor’s means and methods. Construction administration includes site visits, RFIs, submittals, change orders, payment certification, and substantial completion-each with document trails.
Core rules
- Confirm the owner–designer agreement, fee basis, reimbursables, and scope exclusions.
- Coordinate structural, MEP, lighting, and code consultants through a responsibility matrix.
- Do not approve shop drawings as design changes; review for conformance with the contract documents.
- Keep oral instructions out of the field; confirm in writing.
Worked example
A project has a $600,000 construction budget and an 8% basic fee: $48,000. A lighting consultant is 15% of the basic fee: $7,200. Reimbursables are 3% of the basic fee: $1,440. Total fee before taxes = $56,640. If the owner adds a second scheme after design development, that is additional services; estimate hours and issue a change order rather than absorbing it.
Traps
Assuming a site visit certifies the contractor’s work; approving a substitution without evaluating cost, schedule, and design impact; and accepting scope creep without a written change.