To be specific

by arslan_ahmed | July 21, 2023 1:07 pm

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Catching Up with Priscilla Lee: How Earning the CDT Impacted Her Career

CSI first sat down with Priscilla Lee in January 2020, shortly after she earned her Construction Documents Technologist (CDT) certification. The amount of preparation she put into the exam was impressive, as were her reasons for pursuing the certification.

As she said at the time, “My goal is to be
one of the hybrid writers of the future who can write documentation for buildings and artificial intelligence (AI) that can be easily understood by people in the construction industry and by end-users. I want to be able to educate people about their living spaces and help them build these spaces, whether it is through construction specifications, application programming interfaces (APIs), or user guides. It is all
very exciting.”

We recently caught up with Priscilla to ask her how the CDT has made a difference in her career.

How has earning the CDT impacted your career?

Earning the CDT made a tremendous impact on my career. The company saw me as an asset as I was able to oversee different types of design documentation we produced to help shape world-class technical infrastructure. Since I knew job functions and the correct terminology, I was able to speak the same language as the stakeholders. They, in turn, were more willing to help me because I made an effort to understand their role in the project. As a result, I was able to collaborate with the appropriate stakeholders to fill in gaps to develop high-quality, straightforward, readable documentation for relevant audiences.

How has the CDT certification informed how you approach new projects?

The CDT certification provided me with excellent project management skills to work with various stakeholders during the design phase. From the CDT knowledge, I was able to create checklists and a style guide for construction documents. As a team, we were able to correct inconsistencies, errors, unenforceable vague language, and outdated codes and standards. This probably minimized the number of requests for information (RFIs) and helped keep projects on schedule and the design vision intact.

What future opportunities or goals can the CDT certification create?

The CDT certification was the jumping ground for getting a Certified Construction Specifier (CCS) and Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA). All three have been invaluable in my career. One day I would love to teach CDT classes. The CDT opens doors for communication and collaboration and many positions in the construction industry.

The CDT certification provides a comprehensive program of study for anyone seeking to enhance and demonstrate knowledge of writing, interpreting, enforcing, and managing construction documents.

Learn more about how to earn this valuable certification at www.csiresources.org/certification/cdt[2].

Author

Peter Kray is a content strategist with CSI. He can be reached at pkray@csinet.org.

Source URL: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/to-be-specific-priscilla-lee-on-cdt-career-impact/

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