Knowing What Qualifies for AXP Hours Can Change How You Approach Your Work
Many architecture graduates spend years accumulating AXP hours without paying careful attention to which tasks qualify and which do not - and then discover at the end that they are deficient in one or two specific areas. Understanding what qualifies for each AXP experience area before you start logging hours allows you to be intentional about seeking out qualifying work, to advocate for yourself when project assignments are made, and to identify when you need to look beyond your current project to accumulate experience in an under-represented area. The following breakdown of each AXP experience area goes beyond the official task list to explain what these experiences actually look like in practice.
Practice Management (160 hours minimum)
Practice management hours relate to the business of running an architecture firm - not designing buildings, but managing the professional practice context in which design occurs. Qualifying tasks include: developing and negotiating client proposals and fee structures; staffing projects and managing staff assignments; developing financial performance metrics; managing client relationships; navigating professional liability and risk management; and participating in firm marketing and business development. These tasks are difficult to accumulate if you are a junior associate primarily doing drawing production - you may need to ask a principal to include you in proposal writing, fee negotiation meetings, or client management activities to build these hours.
Project Management (360 hours minimum)
Project management hours relate to managing individual projects, not managing the firm. Qualifying tasks include: preparing and managing project schedules; managing project scope, budget, and changes; coordinating with consultants; preparing and reviewing project cost estimates; managing meeting documentation; and managing project documentation and correspondence. Most candidates who work on projects with active construction administration accumulate project management hours more readily than those focused exclusively on production work. Time spent in project kickoff meetings, schedule reviews, and budget discussions is the primary source for these hours.
Programming and Analysis (260 hours minimum)
Programming and analysis hours relate to the early stages of a project - understanding the owner's needs, analyzing site conditions, and establishing the parameters that will govern design. Qualifying tasks include: conducting client interviews and translating requirements into architectural programs; analyzing site conditions (topography, climate, access, utilities, zoning); performing space adjacency analysis; developing project feasibility studies; researching applicable codes and regulations; and participating in pre-design community and stakeholder engagement. Junior staff are sometimes excluded from programming activities because firms conduct these with senior staff and the client - actively asking to observe or assist in programming sessions is worth the effort.
Project Planning and Design (1,080 hours minimum)
Project planning and design is the largest single category and the one most working graduates accumulate most readily. Qualifying tasks include: preparing schematic design documents; developing design alternatives; preparing 3D models and design presentations; coordinating with structural, MEP, and civil consultants during design; preparing design development documents; participating in design review meetings; and preparing construction cost estimates during design phases. Most time spent actively designing a project - from conceptual sketching through design development - qualifies here.
Project Development and Documentation (1,520 hours minimum)
Project development and documentation has the highest hour requirement and covers the production of construction documents. Qualifying tasks include: preparing architectural construction drawings; writing specifications; coordinating drawings across disciplines; preparing details; managing drawing sets for permit submission; coordinating with building departments; preparing addenda and responses to bidder questions; and managing drawing changes during construction. This is where most staff-level architects spend the majority of their time, which is why this area is often the first to be completed.
Construction and Evaluation (360 hours minimum)
Construction and evaluation hours are often the hardest for candidates to accumulate if their firm's practice is primarily design-focused. Qualifying tasks include: conducting site visits and documenting observations; reviewing and processing submittals and RFIs; administering pay applications; issuing change orders and CCDs; conducting substantial completion walkthroughs; and managing project closeout. Candidates who need more CE hours should actively ask to accompany senior architects on site visits, offer to process submittals, and volunteer for construction administration tasks on any project the firm has in construction.
Key Points
- Track hours contemporaneously - logging 6-month-old hours from memory creates inaccuracies.
- Identify which areas you are deficient in early and seek qualifying work proactively.
- Practice Management and C&E hours often require deliberate effort for staff-level architects.
- All hours require supervisor approval within 6 months - don't let approvals get backlogged.
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