Which exam to take first?
When preparing to take the ARE® 5.0, one question that an exam candidate is sure to ponder is: which exam should I take first...
What to Expect When Taking (and Tips for Passing) the PMP Exam?
Table of Contents 1. What to Expect When Taking the Exam?-Center-based (in person)...
PMP Exam Content Is Changing
The Project Management Institute (PMI) is changing the PMP exam content effective January 2, 2021. You can locate the new Exa...
PMP Exam: Study Plan, Tips, & Tricks
Studying for the PMP exam requires both a strategy and a plan, so I'll share some ideas and suggestions for how to create one...
Top Six Regrets of Unsuccessful PMP Examination Takers
As professional exams go, the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam is on the more difficult side. Composed of 200 multi...
How Many Times Can I Take the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam?
The Project Management Professional (PMP) exam is considered to be one of the most challenging exams, and it is not uncommon...
Tips for Selecting the Right Answer on the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam
You have been studying and preparing for your Project Management Professional (PMP) exam, and now it is time to put all of yo...
Top Strategies for Obliterating Anxiety on the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam
The vast majority of people have some form of exam anxiety, and the intensity can range from just a little nervous to paralyz...
Why You Need Your Project Management Professional (PMP) Credential?
Regardless of your industry, if you are a project manager, you more than likely have considered pursuing your PMP credential....
What are the PMP Certification Requirements?
One of the most effective ways to demonstrate credibility in almost any career field is to obtain a professional certificatio...
Can I Self-Study for the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam?
The Project Management Professional (PMP) exam is considered to be one of the most challenging certification exams. With the...
Top 7 Tips for Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Preparation
The Project Management Professional (PMP) exam is undoubtedly a very challenging test. However, there are some proven tips an...
How Do I Take the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam?
The Project Management Professional (PMP) credential is one of the most globally recognized credentials for project managers...
Meeting Your Project Team for the First Time: Introduce Yourself Like A Pro
Are you taking over a new project team? Are you meeting your new team for the first time? This information is for you if so....
ARE 5.0 Demo and Testing Strategies
To best perform on the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) and all six of its divisions, it is imperative to be familiar...
How to Get Motivated After Failing the ARE 5.0
There are a few certainties in life: death, taxes, and failing a division of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). Ok...
How to Read an ARE 5.0 Score Report
When taking the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), the candidate has the option to view their provisional score at the...
The Best Time to Take the ARE 5.0
The process of becoming an architect is not an easy one. According to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boar...
Best Way to Reinforce ARE 5.0 Study Material
Studying for the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) is a daunting task. When embarking on the journey, the hardest part...
Ultimate Guide to the Five Primary Documents of Any Project
Projects are document intensive. Project documentation serves a myriad of purposes including project selection, design, engin...
Why should I get a PMP?
There are many reasons to earn the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation. One is its global appeal. The number of...
What to Do When You Fail a Section of the ARE 5.0 Exam?
As the old saying goes, "Embrace discomfort, because it is an opportunity to grow." This perspective is something that I have...
The Project Management Plan: Topics to Learn for the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam
You know what they say about project management: "plan the work and work the plan." While that adage is a bit out of date wit...
How to Ace the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam
The PMP exam is challenging, even for the most experienced project managers. But with the proper preparation and some keen in...
Project Development and Documentation (PDD): Roof Design and Details
Based on my observations of hundreds of architectural staff working on literally thousands of projects over the decades, I th...
Passing the PMP Exam
Getting your PMP certification is important for professional project managers and essential for consultants. For consulting,...
Monitoring and Controlling the Project: Topics to Learn for the Project Management Professional...
In A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 6th Edition, there are 12 processes within the monitori...
Getting Ready for Your Next Career Step
Organizations that predominantly operate using a project construct are undergoing a substantial shift to a product approach....
Determining Appropriate Documentation: Code Requirements
One of the most common misunderstandings about building codes is that the requirements are always "black and white" and very...
Predicting a Passing Score on the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam
The Project Management Professional exam is undeniably tough, and passing the exam requires dedicated attention and a focused...
ARE Prep: Using Cognitive Skills to Improve Learning
In architecture, as well as just about any profession, there is a great deal of information to process, understand, and retai...
Qualitative versus Quantitative Risk Analysis: Topics to Learn for the Project Management Profe...
Managing risk is a crucial aspect of managing projects. It is wise to anticipate multiple questions on the exam about project...
Estimating Techniques: Topics to Learn for the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam
As a project manager, you are most likely responsible for estimating the duration of the project activities and the costs for...
Design Development Phase, Achieving Design Continuity
This is the third article in a series on "A Day in the Life of an Architect," this time focused on the design development pha...
Schematic Design Phase, Getting to Closure
Obtaining an education in architecture is certainly a broad and challenging experience. As students, we are immersed in all t...
General Area of Professional Practice (ARE): Pre-Design
Topic: Day in the life of an Architect - During the Programming Phase Recently, I was asked to consider what a typical da...
Four Keys to Project Management Career Growth
There is a continually increasing demand for skilled project managers across all industries. Senior project managers are not...
Cost of Quality: Topics to Learn for the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam
Project success is determined, in part, by the quality of the product being produced as well as the quality of the project it...
ARE Prep: Additional Sources/Resources for Study Materials
Being an architectural intern can be stressful. Having graduated from a much more structured learning environment (college) m...
Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Details and Process
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is the highest industry-recognized project management credential. The PMP...
How Difficult is the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam and Certification?
If you are a project manager who has considered certification, you have likely heard horror stories about how difficult the e...
Determining Structural Systems
One of the most fundamental architectural design processes is to decide on the most appropriate structural system for a proje...
Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Tips and Tricks
The PMP exam is notoriously difficult, but there are some strategies you can employ to increase your chances of passing on th...
ARE 5.0 Tips and Tricks: Time Is of the Essence
My best advice related to taking the ARE 5.0 is to do it as soon as possible following graduation from architecture school. T...
What Are the Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification Requirements?
If you're an experienced, professional project manager, you may qualify to earn your PMP certification. You will need to meet...
ARE 5.0 Tips and Tricks: Approach to Study
In preparing to take the ARE, the first thing I did was make a high-level study plan. I organized it around the six divisions...
Project Management: Projects on Hold During the COVID-19 Pandemic
During these uncertain times, it is important to make sure that you clearly communicate with your clients. This is especially...
Programming and Analysis: Building Setbacks
Long ago, buildings were constructed with the excitement of technology-meaning buildings could be as tall as technology allow...
Project Management: Client Reduction of Scope
A client comes to an architect with a project. During the process, the client agrees to the design and budget and signs a con...
Project Management: Instruments of Service
A client comes to an architect asking for his drawings, models, and everything else that he has created to design a building....
Project Management: Value Engineering
A building project has undergone a substantial design process; however, when it comes to the bidding and negotiation phase, i...
Practice Management: Direct vs. Consequential Damages
Per AIA contracts , there is a lot of verbiage regarding damages. Often, all parties agree to the waiver of claims due to dam...
Project Development and Documentation: Refrigeration Cycles
Refrigeration cycles are used in many mechanical systems and can be somewhat difficult to understand at first. There are four...
Project Management: Billing and Fees
It is often said that billing and fees for architectural services are nothing short of an art form. It is a balance between t...
Programming and Analysis: Net, Usable, Rentable Areas and Efficiencies
When designing buildings, architects are often employed by clients who are concerned about the efficiency of space. Building...
Programming and Analysis: How to Size a Building
With the construction of increasingly taller buildings, how does one determine how large a building can be? That comes down t...
Building Orientation and Energy Efficiency, Part 3
I write this blog post as a personal reflection about the additional effects of terrain and how they can affect building cons...
Building Orientation and Energy Efficiency, Part 2
Part 1 of Building Orientation and Energy Efficiency examined the role of building siting and passive strategies according to...
Building Orientation and Energy Efficiency, Part 1
Mechanical systems consume a lot of energy in buildings-approximately 35% of a building's total energy use. While HVAC equipm...
Thermal Comfort
What makes the human body thermally comfortable? It's not just temperature alone. A common misconception is that thermal comf...
IIC vs STC
When it comes to sound, there are multiple ways to determine the movement of noise through assemblies. Sound travels in many...
Gross Versus Net Square Feet with Code
There are some instances when gross and net square footage are calculated. Gross square footage generally refers to all of th...
Project Management: Change Orders
One of the most frustrating parts of a construction project can be change orders. They have given a building project a bad re...
Programming and Analysis: Owner's Responsibilities/Surveys
The roles of the parties involved in a construction project are of critical importance. Clear responsibilities contribute to...
AIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
A membership in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in any capacity brings with it an expectation for the highest stan...
ARE Practice and Business Content
When taking the Architectural Registration Exam (ARE), I often wondered why it included content that I felt was more relevant...
Practice Management: Top-Down and Bottom-Up Budgets
Budgeting and contracts are nothing short of an artform when applying them to the practice of architecture. They are always t...