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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 that can be easily understood by people in the construction industry, engineers, end-users. I want to be able to help and educate people about their living spaces and help people in building these spaces, whether it is through construction specifications, APIs, or user guides. It is all very exciting.”

We recently caught up with Priscilla to see just what a difference the CDT has made 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 because I was able to oversee the multiple 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 had 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 CDT certification informed how you approach new projects, especially when writing, interpreting, and managing construction documents?

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 As a team, we were able to correct inconsistencies, errors, unenforceable vague language, and outdated codes and standards.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 RFIs coming in and helped keep the projects on schedule and the design vision intact. 
 
What new opportunities—or goals—do you think CDT certification might create for you in the future? 

The CDT certification was the jumping ground for my getting a CCS^® and 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.

Read Priscilla's full story here.