The Design

Process
Design is the process of solving problems.
Where to begin?
Design Process
• Client
Profile/Interview/Pr
oblem Statement
• Letter of Agreement
• Programming and
analysis
• Concept /
Schematic Design
• Design
Development
• Contract
Documentation
• Contract
Administration
• Evaluation
Client Profile / Problem
Statement

• What is the nature of

the project? vacation
home, primary
residence, rental
home, office,
restaurant, hotel etc.
• Establish a client
profile: a brief
statement that
identifies the client,
location, project,
purpose, and extent
of work.
• Little detail has yet
been researched
Why is the initial meeting so important
for both the designer and the
customer?
•Evaluate compatibility
(don’t take every job,
may not be
profitable…)

•Does the project fit

the firms area of
specialization , is
there a reasonable
time frame and does
the firm have the
appropriate staff load
to complete the
project.

•Client can evaluate

firms work.
A word about time
frame…
• Deadlines are critical
in the design business.
• Penalties may apply.
• Work backwards from
the expected
completion date to set
schedule for each
phase.
• If you see the time
frame is not feasible,
walk away or convince
them that the time
frame needs to be
longer.
Letter of Agreement
• A legal contract between you
and your client.
• Outlines the responsibilities of
the designer
• Outlines financial obligations
of the client for
reimbursement, fees, time of
payment
• Serves to protect you from
wasting your time on projects
that may not come to reality or
a client using a different
designer
• Get this contract signed before
you do ANY work or you may be
giving away your services!
Programming (5 – 15%)
• Information gathering – Research – programming
• Identify and analyze customer needs
• Interviewing customer and end users
• User profile
• Inventory products to be used
• Lifestyle and Function
• Relationships/adjacencies
• Space allocations
• Environmental factors
• Mechanical systems (HVAC)
• Psychological/Sociological
• Economic factors – extremely important
• Building codes
• Design preferences
Programming is the
• Most crucial phase of the design process
• “Good beginnings make for good endings”
• You must be detailed and precise in your gathering or
you will fail in the end result.
• You will need to analyze the information, prioritize the
need and the wants and if any questions come up,
make sure to go back and get them answered.
• You will write the program and the customer should
review it and approve it before moving to the next
phase of the design process.
• FYI: A commercial program is sometime hundreds of
pages in length. It is a document that will be used by
the entire design team, architects, mechanical,
structural, electrical engineers, and designers.
Programming is the
Commercial
Programming
• Budget for renovation, furniture and finishes.
• Style preference, image.
• Existing furniture, artwork and accessories to reuse.
• Field measuring space, locating columns, outlets,
network jacks, thermostats, HVAC returns.
• Photograph existing space, inventory and new space
• Determine codes and safety requirements that need to
be met. (occupancy classifications, occupant loads,
egress widths, ADA, etc.)
• Determine the schedule/deadline
• Determine space allotments or standards, adjacencies,
privacy issues storage and filing needs (measure file
storage).
• Understand equipment needs, sizes use and location
Residential
Programming
•Personal Information
• Age, number, gender, size, activities and
relationships of everyone living in the house.

•Stage in the lifecycle : flexible spaces

•Lifestyle
• Hobbies, activities, entertainment, meals,
music games, TV, cooking etc.)

•How long do they plan to live in the house.

Residential
Programming
• Taste…likes and dislikes of the family. How do
you find this out?
• Functional Goals
• special needs, universal design, media room,
home office, energy efficiency
• Space Requirements:
• How much sq. footage
• Minimum of 300-500 per person
• Equipment Needs:
• TV, cable, video, computers, security system
• Site and orientation
• Restrictions on placement, color, size etc.
• Solar orientation, south windows, fading
• Wind
• View
Conceptual / Schematic
Design
• The formulation of
preliminary broad-based
concepts.
• Written concept statement
• Decisions on character,
function and aesthetics
• Matrix: indicates
relationships of spaces
• Bubble diagram
• Block diagrams
• Preliminary Floor plans/
space plan
• Selecting preliminary color
options
• Preliminary furniture
options
Matrixes and
Bubbles
Block Plans
Block Plans
Schematic
Floor Plan
Schematic design
Design Development (30-
35%)
• Approval from customer on schematic design has been given.
• Construction Documents
• Floor plan
• Elevations
• Sections
• Furniture and finish plans
• Power and Communication Plans
• Lighting, Reflected Ceiling Plan

• Write Bid Specifications

• FF&E Spec Book

• Work with other professionals

• Electricians
• Structural engineers
• Mechanical engineers
Dimensioned Plan
Reflected Ceiling Plan
Sections and
Elevations
Finish Schedules
Design Development
Rendering
Design Development
Rendering
Contract Administration
(5-15%)
• All design decisions
become reality – most
rewarding of the phases.
• Orders are placed.
• General contractor,
subcontractors begin
building, installing
products.
• Coordination is critical in
order for subs not to
interfere with each others
work.
• Site visits become regular
to check quality and to
stay on schedule.
• Punch list is established.
• Furniture is installed.
Evaluation
• Follow-up on job to
measure the success of
the products specified.
• How effective was the
design?
• Did it meet the needs of
the customer?
• Are the products specified
holding up?
• Post Occupancy Evaluation
(POE) provides the
professional designer with
the information needed to
evaluate and measure a
successful or unsuccessful
design