Determination of the scope (also called programming) should include
- selecting a real or simulated project
- researching client needs, preferences, and goals (e.g., ascertaining client attitudes, brand image)
- differentiating client needs and preferences
- identifying the processes used to pinpoint the client’s goals, preferences, and needs
- identifying adjacencies (proximities of various spaces based on client needs/preferences)
- using evidence-based design
- researching project scope
- summarizing ideas in writing for client approval (e.g., complete industry standard matrices to identify the client’s expressed criteria and the designer’s analysis of project needs).
Process/Skill Questions:
Thinking
- What defines a need of a client? How do needs differ from preferences or wants?
- Why must an interior designer prioritize client needs?
- How can a proposed design plan meet a client's needs?
Communication
- What information must a designer get from a client to assess project requirements?
- How can client needs be distinguished from wants?
- How can a professional communicate to the client how the design will meet identified goals, preferences, and needs?
Leadership
- How can professionals succeed in creating designs that fully meet the needs of a client?
- If a client confuses wants with needs or if identified needs conflict with wants, how can an interior design professional help the client resolve the problem?
- How can a professional be certain that a design meets the needs of the client?
Management
- What steps must be taken to determine and document a client’s goals, preferences, and needs?
- What resources assist with determining goals, preferences, and needs?
- How can a professional confirm that a client's goals, preferences, and needs have been determined and documented accurately and completely?