MANILA, Philippines?To many, starting a design project is a daunting task. For one, many people only experience a design project a few times, or even just once, in their lifetime. When they do get a chance to go through the process more than once, chances are the same project type is hardly ever repeated.

Getting started on a design project need not be difficult. The whole process of completing a project within certain specifications and budgets, is largely dependent on how clearly the objectives are conveyed to a designer. A client commissions a designer to produce a well-balanced interior in terms of beauty, planning, construction, integrity and costs. The designer?s role in synthesizing a client?s requirements into an esthetic solution largely depends on, and emanates from, the parameters set by the clients themselves. It is almost impossible to design a project purely according to a designer?s preference and intent.

Programming phase

For a client?s requisites to be comprehensible and unambiguous to a design professional, they can be expressed early on in the programming phase of design, which is the initial phase of data gathering. The Design Brief and Space Program are data formats which are common to the interior design trade:

The Design Brief is a document the client puts together which sets out their various objectives for their design project. The main purpose of this document is to identify the various reasons a design project is being undertaken and what the idyllic end-result is. It also identifies desired milestones for completion in meeting design objectives. Oftentimes, the design consultant will have questions to ask that will help put a Design Brief together. The programming stage data should contain the following information in detail:

? User Profile. This defines the identity of the user, whether it is an individual or a group like a corporation, and expounds on lifestyle, activities and other physical characteristics of the end user. The user profile sets the pace and defines in general terms the functional needs of the end users.

? The Vision of the Project. This expresses what the desired end user experience is, and how this project will affect the way their lifestyle or business will be experienced or perceived by others as well. Part of this definition should involve defining the ?audience? of the project.

? Brand Identity. This should distinguish what kind of ?persona,? ?character? or attributing ?personality? or ?image? the end user must express through the design, so that it is articulated through powerful visual terms that convey the user?s prevailing theme or image.

? Budget. This identifies the initial cost expenditure. It would be wise to indicate if the overall budget is a Design Budget, in which case it is purely for the fit-out, or if it is a Project Budget, that which includes other expenses incidental to a design project, like consultant?s fees, permit fees, processing fees, etc.

? Schedule and Deadline. Time is essential to any project. More often than not, the time required to properly go through a design process is underestimated. Setting targets for completion prevents the various phases of the work to drag on unnecessarily.

The Space Program is an outline that defines the specific areas, spaces, or rooms required for the project with corresponding descriptions of the users. As these are enumerated, other requirements are indicated like equipment needed, functions that are unique to the project, preferences on esthetics, light level requirements, etc. The list could be endless as it corresponds to how specific the client would like its needs to be addressed.

The information contained in the Design Brief and Space Program must give the owner a sense of security and satisfaction in being able to express in specific terms both the tangible and intangible aspects of their project requirements. It also ensures that their consultant will be working with very real parameters that ensure a successful design solution.