- Acronym: CPD (often used for the overall process, with ‘Structured’ differentiating the specific format).
- Context: Mandatory professional development, particularly within the UK’s design and construction sector, that requires formal verification of learning.
- Synonym: Formal CPD, Verifiable Learning.
Definition and Strategic Explanation #
Structured CPD refers to learning activities that are formally verifiable and measurable. Unlike unstructured (or ‘unverifiable’) learning—which includes things like casual reading of trade journals or personal research—Structured CPD requires an accompanying mechanism for proof of participation and knowledge acquisition.
For a manufacturer’s presentation to qualify as Structured CPD, it must meet specific criteria set by professional bodies (such as the RIBA or CIAT). This means incorporating clear learning aims, delivering a defined and technically rigorous narrative, and concluding with a verifiable assessment or reflective statement.
The strategic value of offering Structured CPD is that it solves an architect’s administrative friction. By providing a high-trust, pre-packaged learning unit that counts directly towards their mandated annual hours, the manufacturer leverages a powerful behavioural lever: reducing the cognitive load of compliance.
Real-World Application and Behavioural Insight #
The Friction-Free Compliance Strategy:
Most manufacturers approach their CPD as an information-dump, a necessary evil. However, an architect’s primary motivation for attending a CPD session is often the asymmetric payoff of getting both new technical insight and the required verifiable certification.
FRAKT’s approach flips the script: we treat the CPD session not just as a communication vehicle, but as a piece of Choice Architecture. By making the presentation’s structure inherently rigorous and aligning the assessment criteria with the learning aims, we ensure the architect walks away with both the required certificate and a profound, specified-ready understanding of the product.
Example: A manufacturer presenting on façade insulation systems often details the product. A successful Structured CPD, however, focuses on the problem and the evolving standards—e.g., “Designing Out Thermal Bridging: Compliance in the Face of Future-Aligned U-Value Requirements.” The verifiable element is a short, post-session quiz that confirms the architect grasped the technical context, the implications of new standards, and the specific role of the product in achieving compliance. This signals intellectual rigour and builds trust far more effectively than a mere product catalogue read-through.
The Counterintuitive Advantage: The manufacturer who makes the CPD process demonstrably easy to absorb, trust, and log for verification gains a significant behavioural leverage. They are perceived not just as a supplier, but as a strategic partner dedicated to the architect’s professional success and administrative sanity. This is not a bug; it’s a remarkably common feature of human behaviour—we specify the people who make our lives simpler
