CIDQ Updated IDPX Exam Questions and Answers by karina

The NCIDQ IDPX exam tests the designer’s understanding of professional practice, including the strategic reasons for entering into a joint venture. A joint venture is a partnership between two or more firms to collaborate on a project, often to leverage complementary expertise or resources.

Option A (Increase the firm’s profit margins):A joint venture may or may not increase profit margins, but this is not the best reason to enter one. Joint ventures often involve shared profits, which could reduce margins, and the primary goal is typically not profit but collaboration.

Option B (Maximize hiring of short-term staff):Hiring short-term staff is a staffing decision, not a reason to form a joint venture. A joint venture involves partnering with another firm, not hiring temporary employees.

Option C (Allocate staff resources to one project):While a joint venture can help with resource allocation, this is a secondary benefit. The primary reason for a joint venture is to leverage expertise or capabilities, not just to allocate staff.

Option D (Gain experience in a new type of work):This is the best reason. A joint venture allows a firm to partner with another that has expertise in an area where the firm lacks experience, such as a new project type (e.g., a large university project). This collaboration enables the firm to gain experience, expand its portfolio, and build new skills, making it a strategic reason for entering a joint venture.

Verified Answer from Official Source:

The correct answer is verified from NCIDQ’s official study materials on professional practice and business strategies.

“A joint venture is often formed to gain experience in a new type of work by partnering with a firm that has complementary expertise, allowing both firms to expand their capabilities.” (NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Professional Practice Section)

The NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide highlights that a primary reason for a joint venture is to gain experience in a new area by leveraging the expertise of a partner firm. This aligns with Option D, making it the best reason for entering a joint venture on a large project.

Objectives:

Understand strategic business decisions like joint ventures (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Professional Practice).

Apply collaboration strategies to expand firm capabilities (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Project Management).

The NCIDQ IDPX exam tests the designer’s understanding of project closeout procedures, particularly during a substantial completion walk-through. A substantial completion walk-through is conducted to identify any remaining issues or deficiencies before the project is fully completed and turned over to the client.

Option A (Meet with the general contractor, review the drawings, and schedulereplacement):While meeting with the contractor and reviewing drawings may be part of the resolution process, the first step is to document the issue formally. Scheduling a replacement without documentation skips a critical step in the closeout process.

Option B (Process a change order and include the new door location):A change order is used to modify the contract scope, cost, or schedule during construction. The door being installed incorrectly is a deficiency, not a change in scope or location requiring a change order. This option is incorrect.

Option C (Add the door location and problem to the punch (deficiency) list):This is the correct choice. During a substantial completion walk-through, the designer should document any issues, such as an incorrectly installed door, on the punch list (also called a deficiency list). The punch list is a formal record of items that need to be corrected or completed by the contractor before final completion, ensuring the issue is addressed systematically.

Option D (Ask the client to accept the door, with a credit memo):Asking the client to accept the incorrect installation with a credit memo is premature and unprofessional. The designer should first document the issue and work with the contractor to correct it, as it is the contractor’s responsibility to meet the contract requirements.

Verified Answer from Official Source:

The correct answer is verified from NCIDQ’s official study materials on project closeout and punch list procedures.

“During a substantial completion walk-through, the designer should document any deficiencies, such as incorrect installations, on the punch (deficiency) list for the contractor to address before final completion.” (NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Project Closeout Section)

The NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide specifies that the punch list is the appropriate tool for documenting deficiencies during a substantial completion walk-through. The incorrect door installation should be recorded on the punch list for correction, making Option C the correct next step.

Objectives:

Understand the purpose of a punch list during project closeout (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Project Closeout).

Apply documentation processes to address construction deficiencies (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Construction Administration).

Per IBC Chapter 3, a hospital is classified as Institutional (I-2) due to 24-hour medical care. A cafeteria and 60-person conference room within it are Assembly (A-3) spaces (gathering for food or meetings, over 50 occupants). These are accessory uses within the hospital but retain distinct classifications for code purposes (e.g., egress, fire protection). Option A (assembly and business) fits offices, not hospitals. Option B (assembly and industrial) is irrelevant. Option C (institutional and business) misses assembly. D correctly pairs Institutional (I-2) and Assembly (A-3).

Verified Answer from Official Source:D - institutional and assembly

"A hospital (I-2 Institutional) with a cafeteria and conference room (A-3 Assembly) requires both occupancy classifications for code compliance." (NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Section 1: Codes and Standards)

Explanation from Official Source:The NCIDQ specifies that mixed-use facilities like hospitals with assembly spaces must address both classifications for safety and design requirements.

Objectives:

Determine occupancy classifications (IDPX Objective 1.2).

The NCIDQ IDPX exam tests the designer’s understanding of professional practice, specifically the essential elements that should be included in a design contract to define the project’s physical parameters. The contract sets the foundation for the project scope and ensures clarity between the designer and client.

Option A (Property address, usable square footage [m²], and projected use):This is the correct choice. The property address identifies the project’s location, the usable square footage defines the physical size of the space the designer will work with, and the projected use (e.g., office, retail) outlines the intended function. These elements collectively provide a clear understanding of the project’s physical parameters, which are critical for establishingthe scope of work in the contract.

Option B (Room name, client, and occupant load):Room names are too detailed for the contract’s overview of physical parameters, the client is part of the contractual parties (not a physical parameter), and occupant load is a code-related detail rather than a core physical descriptor of the project.

Option C (Room measurements, drawing references, and furniture requirements):Room measurements and furniture requirements are specific details developed during design phases, not core contract information. Drawing references are also too detailed for the contract’s initial scope definition.

Option D (Occupant load, circulation ratio, and building classification):These are technical details related to code compliance and design calculations, not core physical parameters for the contract. They are determined later in the design process, not at the contract stage.

Verified Answer from Official Source:

The correct answer is verified from NCIDQ’s official study materials on professional practice and contract preparation.

“A design contract should include core physical parameters such as the property address, usable square footage, and projected use to clearly define the project scope and ensure mutual understanding.” (NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Professional Practice Section)

The NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide specifies that the property address, usable square footage, and projected use are essential elements to include in a design contract to define the project’s physical parameters. These ensure clarity and alignment between the designer and client, making Option A the correct answer.

Objectives:

Understand the elements required in a design contract (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Professional Practice).

Apply contract preparation to define project scope (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Contract Administration).