Which format focuses on building materials, products, and activities?

• A. Uniformat
• B. Masterformat
• C. CAD
• D. Specifications

Answer: (B)

Focusing the project documents by what will be built—materials, products, and the activities needed to execute them—is what MasterFormat does. It provides a standardized system for organizing specifications and technical data so every material, product type, and construction task is described in a consistent way. This makes it easier for designers, contractors, and suppliers to find exactly what’s required, compare products, and sequence activities across the design–build process.

Uniformat, in contrast, is geared toward organizing information for cost estimation by functional elements of a building, not the granular details of materials and products. CAD is a design tool used to create drawings, not a specification format. Specifications as a generic term could refer to any written requirements, but MasterFormat is the specific standardized framework used to structure those requirements around materials, products, and activities.