October test windows always concentrate the mind. This year, they also collide with a once-in-a-decade rewrite of the NCIDQ blueprints. Starting in 2026, PRAC becomes IDIX and every exam blends item types—not just multiple choice. That creates a strategic choice for Fall 2025 candidates: finish now, or pivot early to the new format.
Here’s a crisp game plan for both paths—what’s confirmed, what’s changing, and how to avoid the administrative traps that can erase hard-won passes.
CIDQ’s new blueprints, informed by its latest practice analysis, aim to reduce overlap between exams and organize content by design phase. The Practicum (PRAC) evolves into the Implementation (IDIX) exam, and all three sections will use mixed item types—ending the era of a purely multiple-choice IDFX/IDPX.
Why it matters: study materials, timing, and test tactics shift. For example, today’s IDPX contains 175 questions (150 scored, 25 unscored) across a four-hour sitting; pacing and prep look different once item formats diversify.
Use this simple decision frame:
Why now: You can still leverage question-bank momentum and clear two sections in one season. IDPX remains a 4-hour, 175-question exam this October; IDFX timing/structure are similarly fixed for 2025, so you can plan sprints with predictable pacing.
6-week focus plan (example):
Outcome metric: Aim for 10–12 timed blocks (50 Q each) at or above your target threshold before test day. Track gains per content domain.
Why pivot: In 2026, all exams adopt mixed formats and the PRAC rebrands to IDIX, dropping the current case-study structure. If you learn best from spatial/interactive prompts, align your notes to the new phase-based blueprint now to avoid rework.
Bridge plan: Continue building core knowledge but file your notes under Programming → Design Development → Implementation buckets. That way you reuse 80–90% of your work when the new outlines go live.
From 2026 on, there will be no purely multiple-choice exam. Expect a blend that may include discrete MCQs, drag-and-drop, hot-spot/graphic tasks, and short scenario-based items. Practically, this shifts pacing from “questions/hour” to “tasks/hour,” making practice with on-screen tools crucial.
Keep your MyNCIDQ email current, set renewal reminders, and know your eligibility window. Route 1 candidates must pass all three sections within 10 administrations; Route 2 splits the window (IDFX within 4, then IDPX+PRAC/IDIX within 10). Letting your application lapse can void prior passes—an expensive setback.
Mini crosswalk (carry-forward topics):
Tip: Build “phase briefs” (1 page each) with code triggers, typical deliverables, and common coordination pitfalls. Update, don’t rewrite.
List what’s passed and what’s scheduled, plus your eligibility route. Example:
If you’re polishing your materials alongside testing, you can spin up a clean resume version fast with an AI resume builder, then tailor a concise outreach note for mentors or supervisors with a cover letter generator.
You’ve got two good options. Choose deliberately, protect your application status, and make October count.
References:
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