The Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®) is an essential element on the path to licensure designed to provide candidates with the opportunity to gain and document real-world experience needed to become an architect. As you progress through the AXP, you’ll develop competency in architectural practice areas related to health, safety, and welfare.

The AXP identifies 96 key tasks you should be able to perform competently at the point of licensure and is designed to span the phases of an early career in architecture. The tasks are spread across six practice-based areas, aligning with an ARE 5.0 division, allowing you to connect your real-world experience to your exam preparation. In recent blogs, we covered everything there is to know about the AXP and one of the six practice areas, Practice Management. We’re covering another practice area to help you prepare successfully—Project Management.

Project Management is one of the six practice-based areas within the AXP, focusing on delivering projects that meet contractual requirements to prepare you to budget, coordinate, oversee, and execute a project.

Overview

Tasks in this area will help you evolve your skills and prepare you to take on larger responsibilities and opportunities with managing projects. While you may not be asked to manage a project early in your career, the smaller tasks outlined in this experience will begin to build the foundation for your future career.

Requirements

To complete Project Management, you’ll need to document 360 hours of experience completing the following tasks:

  • Participate in pre-construction, pre-installation, and regular progress meetings with design team
  • Determine design fee budget
  • Coordinate design work of consultants
  • Collaborate design with stakeholders during the design process to maintain design intent and comply with owner specifications
  • Determine project schedule
  • Coordinate design work of in-house team members
  • Understand the implications of project delivery methods
  • Prepare Architect-Consultant Agreement
  • Prepare written communications related to design ideas, project documentation, and contracts
  • Assist client in determining delivery method for construction of project
  • Maintain compliance with established milestones
  • Prepare Owner-Architect Agreement
  • Assist the Owner in obtaining necessary permits and approvals
  • Perform a constructability review to determine buildability, bid ability, and construction sequencing of a proposed project
  • Conduct periodic progress meetings with the design and project team
  • Establish methods for Architect-Client communication based on the project scope of work
  • Identify changes in project scope that require additional services
  • Manage modifications to the construction contract
  • Manage information exchange during construction
  • Perform constructability reviews throughout the design process
  • Perform quality control reviews throughout the documentation process
  • Define the roles and responsibilities of team members
  • Determine the scope of services
  • Manage project-specific bidding process
  • Monitor the performance of design team consultants
  • Evaluate the appropriateness of building information modeling (BIM) for a proposed project
  • Present design concept to stakeholders
  • Submit the schedule of the architect’s services to the Owner for each phase
  • Resolve conflicts that may arise during the design and construction process
  • Prepare staffing plan to meet project goals
  • Manage implementation of sustainability criteria
  • Assist client in selecting contractors

It is not uncommon for some of these tasks to occur later in your AXP experience. As you develop a plan to achieve all the tasks required in the AXP, it’s important to work with your supervisor and firm to create a plan for exposure to various opportunities. As you and your supervisor work together, check out the AXP Candidate and Supervisor Expectations document to establish shared expectations.

 

For more detailed information about the AXP and the six practice-based areas, check out the AXP Guidelines and our blog for the latest updates.