‘Citizen Starchitect’ is not an Oxymoron
CSI: Where Have You Been All My Life?
I learned about the benefits of CSI (www.csinet.org) only recently, a little over a year ago when engaged in conversation with another practitioner on AIA KnowlegeNet. In response to a question I’d asked, she explained to me the importance of earning her Master’s Degree in Sustainable Design– besides already being NCARB certified and LEED AP accredited. Additionally, she shared:
“I’m also a CSI CDT; meaning I took the time 111 years ago, to understand how a good legal set of contract documents are put together and administered. So, as you can tell, I have a lot of education but it’s all because I thought it was important to broaden my understanding of this complex industry at that time in my career; I didn’t do it to add initials after my name!”
Upon hearing that, I wished I would have known about CSI’s CDT exam during my internship (did it even exist back then? I wondered…)- surely, it would have made a huge difference in my approach to putting together a set of working drawings. Thus, the importance of self-leadership in one’s career at EVERY stage!
Since then, I’ve joined the CSI group on LinkedIn and was welcomed by Joy Davis, CSI’s Communication & Web Community Senior Manager (jdavis@csinet.org), who was happy to answer my questions and point me toward finding the resources I needed. I became a member of CSI and signed up for the CDT exam held last fall; however, after buying the CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide (which is 466 pages long), and considering my heavy project schedule at the time, I realized I would need to allow myself more focused study time (probably 2 uninterrupted months’ worth) prior to sitting for the exam.
CSI is On Twitter:
I’m very active on Twitter and have met a lot of friends there who are strong advocates for CSI and the architecture profession. Recently, those of us who also blog have been asked by Joy Davis to help promote awareness of CSI’s next CDT exam which CSI will be offering between April 2nd to April 28th, 2012 in the US and Canada; the final deadline to register is March 2nd (with Early registration by February 2nd, 2012).
CSI Testimonials: Read All About How CSI Has Benefitted Others ~ CSI Members Share Their Personal Stories ~
Artist's Table
To better understand and communicate the value of CSI to a whole new generation of newly minted emerging architects, I asked my fellow Architects, CSI members, and bloggers if they would be willing to share their answers to this question, and they most graciously did. I asked:
“At what age did you become CDT certified and how has CSI helped you in your career?”
Their responses were interesting! Here they are:
- From Liz O’Sullivan, AIA, CSI, CDT, CCS, CCCA:
“I was 34 years old when I took the CDT exam, 37 when I took the CCS ,and 38 years old when I took the CCCA. (I passed each one the first time through when I took them.) I’m age 39 now.
“I was 29 when I completed all of my architectural licensing exams and became registered.
“I had my first child when I was 30, and my second when I was 32. (I took 4-1/2 years off from architecture, starting when I had my older son. I took the CDT during that period. I feel that this is all relevant, because I wouldn’t have considered the career that I have now if I hadn’t stopped working completely for a while. If I hadn’t mommy-tracked myself, I would have never discovered writing specs! I knew I wanted to do it, and taking the CDT was my first step.)
“I wish I’d known more about the CDT earlier. It would have helped me with my work as Project Manager in an architecture firm; but the A.R.E. was such an important hurdle for me, it had to be top priority.”
- John Guill, CSI, CCS, CCCA, AIA, SCIP, SpecWriter and Associate of dtr Consulting Services in Santa Rosa, CA (find him on Twitter: @SpecmonkeyNorth):
“I received my CDT on July 1, 1998 at age 39, my CCS on June 30, 2000 [at] age 40, my CCCA on June 20, 2006 [at] age 46.
“I value these certifications above that of my architecture license, since there are fewer CSI certificates– and no shortage of architects! I continue to believe that the CCS was the most challenging test I have ever taken. There is no question in my mind that whatever career success I may have experienced, it has been greatly aided by CSI certifications, in particular, and the organization in general.
“At present, I am 52 years old, although sometimes it feels like more, and have every prospect of surviving to annoy my posterity to the second generation!”
- Sheldon Wolfe RA, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, CSC:
“I joined CSI when I was thirty-eight, and successfully passed the CCS certification exam about a year later. The first part of the test was made up of multiple-guess questions, and maybe short fill-in-the-blank questions; the remaining portions were all to be written out longhand. One part required the creation of a complete specification section, using information from a manufacturer’s advertising. Another part was writing a letter, explaining the organization and value of the CSI Formats.
“Here’s the not-so-short version: I was near graduation in 1969 with a B.S. in Biology when “Uncle Sam” told me he had other plans; so, I spent the next couple of years serving in the United States Army. It wasn’t all bad. It was my first exposure to the larger culture and I learned to how to use a typewriter. During that time, two of my friends and I got together and decided we would all go back to school, get architecture degrees, get back together, and change the world. (Such are the dreams of youth!). One of the three guys ended up at NASA, another became a Veterinarian, and the other one (me…) actually went to architecture school, which left me several years behind others of my age. However, I eventually obtained a job in architecture at age twenty-eight.”
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From the venerable David Stutzman, AIA, CSI, CCS, SCIP, LEED AP, and Principal of Conspectus:
“I obtained my CCS certification back in 1980, before the CDT exam even existed! I was 27 years old at the time. I joined CSI in March of that same year (1980), just prior to taking the exam.”
- Michael Chusid, R.A., FCSI, owner at Chusid Associates. (You can visit Michael’s company website at: www.chusid.com and check out his blog at: www.BuildingProductMarketing.com):
“I’m 59 years old and became CCS certified in 1983 when I was 30 years old. This, of course, was prior to the CDT exam.
“I studied harder for the CCS exam than I did for my architectural exam. Not that the CCS exam was necessarily harder than the architectural exam, but because — after 5 years in architecture — I could see that it was finally time for me to understand what was really going on in the construction industry.”
- And, finally, from Joy Davis, CSI, CCPR herself:
“I was already employed by CSI when I moved to Albuquerque in 2004. I join the CSI Albuquerque Chapter where I found an extremely patient group of mentors. They encouraged me to obtain my CDT certificate, which included getting me into a class that used the CDT exam as a final; they answered every ridiculous question my non-construction background produced! And, once again, these same patient mentors were available for another round of goofy questions in the fall of 2010, when I studied for (and passed!) the CCPR (Certified Construction Product Representative) certification exam.”
- And, lastly, my most favorite personal CSI testimony of all is found here on this absolute GEM of a website called Specology- written and curated by John W. O’Neil, CSI, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP, Construction Specifier at the Larson & Darby Group in Rockford, Illinois.
Tower clock
CSI’s CDT (Construction Documents Technology certification exam)- Sign Me Up!
The good news is: for those of you who want to take the Spring Exam, there’s still plenty of time to study and prepare— if you act NOW! And, the best news is that CSI is offering early registration discounts as outlined below:
Registration link: https://webportal.csinet.org/Conference/RegistrationProcessOverview.aspx?id=80
- Exams will be offered April 2 – April 28, 2012, in the U.S. & Canada.
- Early registration deadline: February 2, 2012
- Final registration deadline: March 2, 2012
CDT Information
General information about the CDT exam: www.csinet.org/cdt
- Cost Before Feb. 2: $235 (member) $370 (non-member)
- Cost after Feb. 2: $295 (member) $430 (non-member)
- Cost for qualified students: $105
The CDT exam is now based on the CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide: www.csinet.org/pdpg
Advanced Exam Information
Cost of an advanced exam:
– Before Feb. 2: $275 (member) $410 (non-member)
– After Feb. 2: $340 (member) $475 (non-member)
General CSI Certification Information can be found here: www.csinet.org/certification
So, What’s In It For You?
In the Houston CSI Chapter, for example, a local firm (Gensler) offers this series of classes- CDT Prep Course offered in Houston at Gensler:
- Licensed architects who take the CDT course qualify for 16 AIA CEU HSW/SD Credits.
- IDP Candidates earn 40 supplementary education elective hours for passing the CDT Exam.
Contact your local (or nearest) CSI Chapter Representative if you have specific questions on how to sign up.
Curious About CSI’s Nomenclature? Here’s What the Initials Stand For, Along with their respective Exam Registration Links:
- CDT- Construction Documents Technology certificate
- CCS- Certified Construction Specifier: www.csinet.org/ccs– Now based on the Construction Specifications Practice Guide (www.csinet.org/cspg)
- CCCA- Certified Construction Contract Administrator: www.csinet.org/ccca– Now based on the Construction Contract Administration Practice Guide (www.csinet.org/ccapg)
- CCPR- Certified Construction Product Representative certification: www.csinet.org/ccpr– This is the last year this exam will be based on the PRM (www.csinet.org/prm)
Test-taking: A Few Important Reminders to Consider-
- You will need to read the CDT book and study it weekly; make a reasonable study schedule and stick to it (same as you did for the A.R.E. or for college finals)
- You will need to sign up at an approved test center- you can follow the instructions on the CSI website, choosing a specific day and time- slots fill up fast, so sign up as early as possible
- Allow plenty of travel time to arrive at the test center, planning for traffic, parking, etc.; directions are also available from the test center or CSI website
- If you need to cancel, you will be refunded your money ONLY if you do so at least 15 days prior to the first day of scheduled tests (please refer to the CSI website for all rules concerning cancellations), otherwise you will forfeit all or some of your money.
- It is my understanding that reservations with the testing center are SEPARATE from your exam registration arrangement with CSI; should you need to cancel, you will need to deal with both agencies.
Good luck and I’ll See You at the next CSI Meeting!
St. Catherine Monastery
i like to know more about csi
Wow, I am slow on the uptake. I get it…very funny ha ha. I don’t think I could’ve said any more on the topic. In fact, my mum just the other day said “Your blogs are kinda long…”
Point well taken and noted.
“Omit needless words” Will do, Prof. Strunk.
Hi Moemen,
Thank you for your interest in CSI (The Construction Specifications Institute). I am new to the organization myself; however, most of the information is available online if you follow the links in my article above. Were you able to follow those links? The main website is: http://www.csinet.org.
Please let me know if you have any particular question you need answered. Regarding whether CSI has an overseas presence, I don’t know– but I can certainly find out.
Thanks for your post!
Kind regards,
Tara
Cheers for the material, and your blog honestly looks exceptional. Just what wordpress design are you utilizing?
Hi Jeffrey,
Thanks! I appreciate the compliment and positive feedback.
I started out with the WordPress theme Chateau and my website designer improved and adapted it from there. I chose Chateau because I fell in love with the image.
Hope this helps…
Kind regards,
Tara
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I enjoyed reading your information. I will be following your model role. I have already obtained the CDT Certification. And I definitely do also want to get the CCS and the CCCA Certifications.
My question is– which one should I take first: The CCS or the CCCA certification? Also, I have about 10 years experience doing CCCA and 5 years experience with CCS specification writing!!!! My goal is to become a well-rounded solid architect!
Hi Tomas,
Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed reading the information provided herein about CSI’s various certifications. For me personally, I tend to mentally drown in the alphabet soup of CCS and CCCA and need to refer to the book to know what each one is:
CCS stands for Certified Construction Specifier— basically, someone who writes specs for a firm and who has successfully passed the CCS test by CSI
CCCA stands for Certified Construction Contract Administrator– this person would be someone who administers construction contracts (predominantly handles this aspect in an AEC firm and has successfully passed the CCCA test by CSI)
Due to the nature of your questions, I decided to search LinkedIn to find out more about your background. If you are indeed who I think you are, then you are highly accomplished (i.e. the person matching your name indicates that you’re the Director of Design Development at PSP Architects). The only thing missing was the NCARB and CDT certifications (I would recommend updating your LinkedIn profile to include these). So, I am taking a risk in assuming you are that person. If you are, then in my book, you have already reached the pinnacle of success in architecture. Now, if you want to add more structure to your already solid foundation of knowledge, skills, and abilities, then by all means, go right ahead and obtain these credentials.
What I’ve heard from Joy at CSI is the only hindrance to passing these tests is very often the person taking them answers the questions according to the way their firm handles things rather than how the CSI book thinks is the best way to do so. I suppose a person who’s been writing specs and administering contracts for as long as you have, you might have to unlearn some things that have become second nature to you and this could be the biggest challenge– but certainly not anything that could not be overcome.
Given your curent role, if you have time to study and earn these certificates, hats off to you!
You also asked about the order in which to obtain them. In looking at people’s names listed in the CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide, this is the order of the letters after one’s name (and probably the order in which the progression of testing would occur):
Tom Jones, CSI, CCS, CCCA, AIA, LEED AP
Note: Not once did I see anyone with CDT, CCS, CCCA — which may not indicate anything. It’s possible that people listed CSI instead of CDT. I’m not really certain; would need to look into it further.
In closing, for now, unless someone got hold of your email account and posted this as a prank, I think you’re already a well-rounded, solid architect according to the education and experience listed on your LinkedIn profile. If you want to supplement that by studying the books and sitting for these tests, I encourage you to do so as it can only further support your confidence and you will know that you are truly doing the best job you can given the information available to the AEC industry at this time.
Lastly, what about BIM, IPD and LEED knowledge? It might be more prudent to earn these certifications at this time since they are the change-drivers in the AEC world right now. It’s really a matter of your firm’s culture, strategy and expectations– which I would imagine are very much influenced specifically by *your* vision for the firm and your clients.
I hope this helps! Please let me know if I’ve missed the point in any way.
Thank you for reading my blog post.
Best of luck to you in your future endeavors…
Kind Regards,
~Tara
Tara, people drop the “CDT” after their names after achieving an advanced certification such as “CCS.” Since the CDT is a prerequisite to the CCS, CCCA, and CCPR, we know that a person with an advanced certification also passed the CDT exam.
Very good article. I definitely love this website.
Keep it up!
Hi Tara: Worthwhile, meaningful and useful certification to pursue. The only thing that remains constant in life is education. And historically: for one to earn more, must learn more.
Thanks for this valued information.
Hi Bruce,
Thank you for taking time to read through this lengthy post and for your spot on advice: for one to earn more, must learn more.
Will do.
Best regards,
Tara
I became licensed as an attorney in 1983. In 1994 or 95 I attained the CDT certificate. In 1997 I attained the CSI certification in contract administration (CCCA). This education was by far the most important in elevating my knowledge about how construction documents are created and how they are used to build projects. The education has very much helped me become better and faster at analyzing legal issues in construction disputes and in so doing it has made me a better advocate for my clients, as well as a better mediator and arbitrator of construction disputes. I cannot overstate how important the CSI certification education is in one’s professional development. I have observed how it has improved communication in others who have attained the credentials. And speaking of credentials, the CSI certifications are an excellent way to burnish your professional resume and distinguish yourself in your particular niche of expertise.
Now to the point and theme of this blog. The CSI certification process. like all educational programs, is temporal, i.e. it has a beginning and end. On the other hand, membership and participation in CSI is the industry’s best career long path to professional development. CSI offers multi-dimensional education and networking. It’s better than any other trade association, in fact unique, because it welcomes and includes everyone, all the players, in the construction industry. Nowhere else can you immerse yourself in a microcosm of the industry and learn and share with such a diverse group of people who care about our industry, and in so doing, learn how everyone else looks at issues and risks, and how they deal with them.
The CSI certification education will help everyone with a grounding in construction documents and the contract administrative processes, while participation as a member in CSI will be a career long educational and networking experience that will connect you to your local construction community better than any other organization.
Hi Bryan,
Comments such as yours make blogging worthwhile. Thank you for pointing out the difference between earning a (finite) certification- which is very valid- and building ongoing, meaningful relationships with other members of CSI via monthly dinners and annual trade shows.
I appreciate your valuable insights.
All the Best,
Tara
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