Which initial design outlines the major scope of work to be done in a project?

• A. Profile
• B. PS&E ( Plans, Specifications, and Estimate)
• C. Preliminary Design
• D. Primary Member

Answer: (C)

In the early phase of a project, you need a plan that lays out the broad scope and structure of the work. Preliminary Design does exactly that: it establishes the overall layout, major components, approximate geometry, and rough quantities and costs. This stage defines the big picture and allows you to compare alternatives and set up what will later become the detailed plans, specifications, and estimates.

The other options represent more specific or later-stage elements. A profile is a particular drawing of the vertical alignment, not the whole scope. A primary member refers to a key structural element rather than the entire set of project tasks. Plans, Specifications, and Estimate (PS&E) is the detailed design package produced after the preliminary design, not the initial outline of the work.