Fast-tracking is a delivery strategy where construction begins before the full design is finished. Instead of waiting for a complete set of construction documents, the project team releases portions of the drawings, such as foundations or structural steel, so that contractors can start building while the architect continues designing other systems.

Why does this matter for the ARE? Because fast-tracking sits at the intersection of schedule management, risk allocation, and delivery method selection. It shows up most often in CM at-Risk, Design-Build, and Integrated Project Delivery, but it can theoretically appear in any method. The exam tests whether you understand the trade-offs: shorter schedules come with higher change order risk, reduced design coordination time, and early lock-in of certain design decisions.

You also need to know which AIA contract documents support fast-track projects. B103 is the owner-architect agreement specifically designed for complex projects that may use fast-track or phased scheduling. And A133, the CMc agreement, explicitly allows preconstruction and construction phases to proceed concurrently.

The core tension is simple. Owners want speed. Architects need enough design time to coordinate systems properly. Fast-tracking forces both parties to accept that some decisions get locked in early, and changes later become expensive. Understanding how to manage that tension is what the ARE is really testing.