CMI CMI Client Relations & Project Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which document establishes the scope, deliverables, timeline, and fee for a medical illustration project before work begins?
- Non-disclosure agreement
- Project brief / Letter of agreement (Correct answer)
- Style guide
- Usage license
Correct answer: Project brief / Letter of agreement
A project brief or letter of agreement formally documents the project scope, deliverables, schedule, and compensation, protecting both illustrator and client.
Question 2: In negotiating usage rights for a medical illustration, 'exclusive rights' means the client receives what?
- Perpetual copyright transfer
- Sole right to use the illustration; the illustrator cannot license it to others (Correct answer)
- Right to use the image online only
- Right to modify the image without attribution
Correct answer: Sole right to use the illustration; the illustrator cannot license it to others
Exclusive rights grant the client sole use of the illustration for the agreed scope and period, preventing the illustrator from licensing the same image to competing parties.
Question 3: When a client requests revisions beyond the agreed scope, the appropriate professional response is to do what?
- Complete all revisions to maintain the relationship
- Issue a change order documenting additional fees and timeline impact (Correct answer)
- Refuse all out-of-scope requests
- Reduce quality to offset extra work
Correct answer: Issue a change order documenting additional fees and timeline impact
A change order formally documents scope additions and their cost/timeline impact, ensuring both parties agree before additional work proceeds.
Question 4: Which milestone payment structure is most common in medical illustration contracts for large projects?
- Full payment upfront
- Deposit at start, payment at sketch approval, balance at final delivery (Correct answer)
- Monthly retainer only
- Payment after publication only
Correct answer: Deposit at start, payment at sketch approval, balance at final delivery
Milestone payments (deposit → sketch approval → final delivery) align cash flow with project progress and reduce financial risk for both parties.
Question 5: In a pharmaceutical client relationship, which regulatory consideration must illustrators be aware of when depicting drug mechanisms?
- Tax reporting requirements
- FDA fair balance and accuracy rules for promotional materials (Correct answer)
- HIPAA billing codes
- SEC disclosure requirements
Correct answer: FDA fair balance and accuracy rules for promotional materials
FDA regulations require that promotional medical materials, including mechanism-of-action illustrations, present balanced, accurate information and not overstate drug benefits.
Question 6: When working with a publishing client on a medical textbook, who typically retains copyright of the illustrations under a standard work-for-hire arrangement?
- The illustrator permanently
- The publisher as the commissioning party (Correct answer)
- Copyright is held jointly forever
- The medical author listed on the book
Correct answer: The publisher as the commissioning party
Under work-for-hire agreements common in textbook publishing, the publisher is the legal copyright owner of commissioned illustrations.
CMI CMI Client Relations & Project Management 1
Which document establishes the scope, deliverables, timeline, and fee for a medical illustration project before work begins?