Project Management & Collaboration Flashcards
7 cards from real CMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Project Management & Collaboration flashcards as text
A master architect is managing a large civic project with multiple consultants. Which contract type best aligns consultant fees with project milestones and deliverables?
Answer: Milestone-based contract
Milestone-based contracts tie consultant payments to completed deliverables, incentivizing timely performance and aligning fees with project progress.
During design development, the structural engineer proposes a system that conflicts with the architect's aesthetic intent. What is the most effective first step?
Answer: Schedule a joint coordination meeting to explore integrated solutions
A joint coordination meeting allows all parties to collaboratively resolve technical and aesthetic conflicts before they become costly construction issues.
Which earned value metric indicates whether a project is over or under budget relative to work completed?
Answer: Cost Performance Index (CPI)
The Cost Performance Index (CPI) compares earned value to actual cost, revealing budget efficiency; a CPI below 1.0 signals cost overrun.
An architect discovers the general contractor is substituting a specified material without a formal substitution request. What is the correct protocol?
Answer: Issue a written notice of non-compliance and require a formal substitution request
Unauthorized substitutions must be addressed in writing with a formal substitution request to preserve contract compliance and liability protections.
When developing a project charter for a complex institutional project, which element is MOST critical to establish first?
Answer: Project scope and objectives
Clearly defining project scope and objectives provides the foundation upon which all other project decisions, budgets, and team responsibilities are built.
A master architect leading a design-build team must balance design quality with the contractor's cost reduction proposals. Which approach best maintains design integrity?
Answer: Establish design criteria and minimum quality standards at project outset
Pre-established design criteria and quality benchmarks give the contractor flexibility while protecting essential design intent and performance standards.
Which communication tool is most appropriate for formally documenting decisions made during owner-architect-contractor (OAC) meetings?
Answer: Meeting minutes distributed to all parties
Formal meeting minutes distributed to all stakeholders create an official record of decisions, action items, and accountability.