DBIA EXAMS SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔best practice - ✔✔the belief that there is a technique, method, or process that is
more effective at delivering a particular outcome than any other; with proper process,
checks, and testing, a desired outcome can be delivered with fewer problems and
unforeseen complications
✔✔schematic design - ✔✔the point before which core team members should be
engaged in the design process
✔✔post award - ✔✔the time from notice of award to the end of the warranty period; final
nefotiation of contract terms and conditions, notice to proceed, design, confirmation of
construction materials and services, construction, performance and quality validation,
start-up and commissioning of systems, project close-out, project warranty and post-
occupancy follow-up
✔✔proposal stage - ✔✔phase in which team focus and alignment, process
commitment, cost model development, and conceptual design take place
✔✔validation - ✔✔phase immediately upon award where you confirm the basis of
design and create an integrated design work plan (IDWP)
✔✔design phase - ✔✔phase in which you conduct design management and design
commitment
✔✔co-location - ✔✔proximity leads to communication, communication leads to
understanding, understanding leads to respect, respect fosters cohesion,
interdisciplinary fluency develops one team, one team acts as one team
✔✔building information modeling (BIM) - ✔✔The digital, three-dimensional modeling of
building systems, with the linking of model components to a database of properties and
relationships. Allows real-time sharing of design evolution, drives early decision-making,
, defines expectations for design phase deliverables, enables implementation of
additional uses for the database
✔✔interdisciplinary design charrettes - ✔✔thinking out loud together, both-and thinking
promotes innovation, greater diversity of ideas, thorough systems thinking encouraged,
sharing lessons learned, a voice in the design process builds team cohesion, helps to
make big decisions early
✔✔integrated project leader (DB-PM) - ✔✔leads project team and manages team
dynamics, balances owner needs plus design and construction, and guides project's
process
✔✔designer of record (a/e) - ✔✔licensed to protect health, safety, and welfare of the
public, leads the overall design effort, or design and engineering of a specific discipline
✔✔design manager - ✔✔facilitates "marriage" between design professionals and cost
estimators, advocates for design excellence within the design-build team, and manages
the design information flow and deliverables
✔✔estimator - ✔✔must be in step with the designer from start to finish; receives
assistance from key trade partners
✔✔design commitment - ✔✔designer of record confirms the documents comply with the
owner's project criteria, all codes and standards; design confirmed within budget and
schedule; owner's review for compliance has been completed; changes made after this
may result in request for equitable adjustment; the owner and DB-er should reach a
consensus on this definition and when it occurs during the post-award process
✔✔integrated design work plan (IDWP) - ✔✔identify design tasks and decisions to
complete the design of the project; decision making - how and when to make decisions;
identify work flow of design deliverables best supporting construction; optimize time for
design phase co-location; optimize opportunities for constructability reviews; the initial
prelim should be considered in the proposal
✔✔pre-construction, contract, close-out, and performance evaluation - ✔✔four phases
of oversight
✔✔pre-construction - ✔✔phase which involves distribution of contract documents,
confirm subcontractor flow-down clauses, confirm incremental design packages, confirm
what constitutes design commitment, obtain performance/payment bonds, obtain
certificates of insurance, confirm attainment of permits and access rights, issue notice to
proceed, and schedule initial formal partnering workshop
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔best practice - ✔✔the belief that there is a technique, method, or process that is
more effective at delivering a particular outcome than any other; with proper process,
checks, and testing, a desired outcome can be delivered with fewer problems and
unforeseen complications
✔✔schematic design - ✔✔the point before which core team members should be
engaged in the design process
✔✔post award - ✔✔the time from notice of award to the end of the warranty period; final
nefotiation of contract terms and conditions, notice to proceed, design, confirmation of
construction materials and services, construction, performance and quality validation,
start-up and commissioning of systems, project close-out, project warranty and post-
occupancy follow-up
✔✔proposal stage - ✔✔phase in which team focus and alignment, process
commitment, cost model development, and conceptual design take place
✔✔validation - ✔✔phase immediately upon award where you confirm the basis of
design and create an integrated design work plan (IDWP)
✔✔design phase - ✔✔phase in which you conduct design management and design
commitment
✔✔co-location - ✔✔proximity leads to communication, communication leads to
understanding, understanding leads to respect, respect fosters cohesion,
interdisciplinary fluency develops one team, one team acts as one team
✔✔building information modeling (BIM) - ✔✔The digital, three-dimensional modeling of
building systems, with the linking of model components to a database of properties and
relationships. Allows real-time sharing of design evolution, drives early decision-making,
, defines expectations for design phase deliverables, enables implementation of
additional uses for the database
✔✔interdisciplinary design charrettes - ✔✔thinking out loud together, both-and thinking
promotes innovation, greater diversity of ideas, thorough systems thinking encouraged,
sharing lessons learned, a voice in the design process builds team cohesion, helps to
make big decisions early
✔✔integrated project leader (DB-PM) - ✔✔leads project team and manages team
dynamics, balances owner needs plus design and construction, and guides project's
process
✔✔designer of record (a/e) - ✔✔licensed to protect health, safety, and welfare of the
public, leads the overall design effort, or design and engineering of a specific discipline
✔✔design manager - ✔✔facilitates "marriage" between design professionals and cost
estimators, advocates for design excellence within the design-build team, and manages
the design information flow and deliverables
✔✔estimator - ✔✔must be in step with the designer from start to finish; receives
assistance from key trade partners
✔✔design commitment - ✔✔designer of record confirms the documents comply with the
owner's project criteria, all codes and standards; design confirmed within budget and
schedule; owner's review for compliance has been completed; changes made after this
may result in request for equitable adjustment; the owner and DB-er should reach a
consensus on this definition and when it occurs during the post-award process
✔✔integrated design work plan (IDWP) - ✔✔identify design tasks and decisions to
complete the design of the project; decision making - how and when to make decisions;
identify work flow of design deliverables best supporting construction; optimize time for
design phase co-location; optimize opportunities for constructability reviews; the initial
prelim should be considered in the proposal
✔✔pre-construction, contract, close-out, and performance evaluation - ✔✔four phases
of oversight
✔✔pre-construction - ✔✔phase which involves distribution of contract documents,
confirm subcontractor flow-down clauses, confirm incremental design packages, confirm
what constitutes design commitment, obtain performance/payment bonds, obtain
certificates of insurance, confirm attainment of permits and access rights, issue notice to
proceed, and schedule initial formal partnering workshop
