CMI CMI Client Relations & Project Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of providing a 'rough sketch' stage to a client during a medical illustration project?
- To bill for early work
- To allow the client to approve composition, content, and accuracy before final rendering begins (Correct answer)
- To demonstrate software proficiency
- To satisfy AMI portfolio requirements
Correct answer: To allow the client to approve composition, content, and accuracy before final rendering begins
Rough sketches allow clients to review and approve anatomical accuracy, composition, and content direction early, preventing costly revisions after final rendering.
Question 2: Which communication practice is most important when working with a physician subject-matter expert on a complex surgical illustration?
- Sending completed finals for one-time review
- Scheduling iterative review checkpoints tied to sketch, intermediate, and final stages (Correct answer)
- Limiting communication to email only
- Waiting until the illustration is complete before seeking input
Correct answer: Scheduling iterative review checkpoints tied to sketch, intermediate, and final stages
Iterative review checkpoints at sketch, intermediate, and final stages ensure ongoing expert input and catch anatomical or procedural errors before they are embedded in finished art.
Question 3: In medical illustration project management, a 'kill fee' provision protects the illustrator in which situation?
- When the client requests expedited delivery
- When a client cancels a project after work has begun (Correct answer)
- When the illustrator misses a deadline
- When a subcontractor is needed
Correct answer: When a client cancels a project after work has begun
A kill fee is a contractually agreed percentage of the total fee paid to the illustrator if the client cancels the project after work has commenced, compensating for time already invested.
Question 4: Which project management tool category is most commonly used by medical illustrators to track multi-deliverable projects with client review cycles?
- Accounting software
- Task/project management tools such as Asana, Trello, or Basecamp (Correct answer)
- 3D rendering software
- Stock image databases
Correct answer: Task/project management tools such as Asana, Trello, or Basecamp
Task management platforms like Asana, Trello, or Basecamp help illustrators track deliverables, deadlines, review rounds, and client communications across complex multi-asset projects.
Question 5: What does 'scope creep' mean in the context of a medical illustration contract?
- Color gamut expansion in final files
- Gradual accumulation of unplanned additions to the project beyond the original agreement (Correct answer)
- Extension of the usage license territory
- Increasing image resolution beyond specifications
Correct answer: Gradual accumulation of unplanned additions to the project beyond the original agreement
Scope creep refers to the gradual expansion of project requirements beyond the originally agreed scope, often without corresponding fee adjustments, eroding profitability.
Question 6: When a medical illustrator must obtain patient images from a hospital for reference, which legal requirement must first be satisfied?
- Hospital billing approval
- HIPAA-compliant patient authorization or de-identification (Correct answer)
- AMI membership verification
- State medical board notification
Correct answer: HIPAA-compliant patient authorization or de-identification
HIPAA requires that patient-identifiable medical images used outside the treating relationship have proper patient authorization or be fully de-identified before use.
CMI CMI Client Relations & Project Management 2
What is the primary purpose of providing a 'rough sketch' stage to a client during a medical illustration project?