Before you start collecting data and mapping the site, clarify the goals and scope of your project. What are your clients' preferences and requirements for the landscape? What are the budget, timeline, and regulatory constraints? How will people use, maintain, and evaluate the site? By defining the goals and scope, you can focus your site analysis on the relevant aspects and avoid wasting time and resources.
Goals should always be smart, achievable, clearly defined and time bound. Goals are more linked to the purpose of project. Before developing a project charter, it is very important to know WHY you want to do the project, WHEN you want to do the project and HOW you want to do the project. Once purpose and goals are known it is very easy to draft scope of work (SOW). The SOW may wary from project to project and client to client depending upon preferences, budget, feasibility, time frame, material specification etc.
From a physical security perspective this is the time to incorporate CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) concepts that will enhance site safety/security.
this a very important step for any Landscape design, make a big consideration of your clients needs. because when you achieve the clients needs, you will not have to suffer from going back to edit what they wants, they will be happy right away with what you made, because you took their advice and vision. Lets say they wants something that can not be done, or it wont be good fit. you can tell them, and ask them what you want them for you to do. and let the decision for them, automatically they will respect your call. and prolly they will tell you to do what it will fit.
Gather existing information about the site, such as maps, surveys, reports, and photos. Sources like online databases, libraries, archives, and community groups can help you find these sources. This information can help you identify the site's history, boundaries, topography, climate, vegetation, wildlife, and more. It can also help you compare the site with similar or contrasting landscapes and identify potential opportunities and challenges.
First speaking with the client to understand their goals, objectives, and budget for the project is necessary to establish what information will need to be gathered.
Conduct fieldwork to verify, supplement, and update your data. Consider using different methods and tools, such as measurement, sketching, photography, sampling, and interviewing. Fieldwork allows you to experience the site firsthand and capture its sensory and aesthetic qualities. You can also use fieldwork to engage with your clients and users and solicit their opinions and suggestions.
GIS and Google Maps are wonderful tools, but a few real world known dimensions are critical and used to verify online imagery is to scale. The combination of online imagery, a few real-world dimensions, and site photos is enough to produce most residential landscape designs. A visual inspection of the surrounding views you want to keep, or block is important too.
Once you have collected enough information, analyze and synthesize it to reveal the site's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). Diagrams, maps, and models are helpful tools for this process. Analysis and synthesis allow you to organize, interpret, and communicate your data and identify the site's potentials, problems, and priorities. It is also helpful for testing different design scenarios and evaluating their feasibility.
Consideration of the 24/7 'traffic' at the site should be evaluated; if you are allowing employees to come on site after business hours issues such as parking lot lighting should be addressed.
Present and discuss your site analysis with your clients and users. You can use different formats, such as reports, slides, videos, or exhibitions. This will help you share your findings and recommendations, then obtain feedback and approval. It is also a good opportunity to address any questions, concerns, or disagreements and establish trust and collaboration.
Site analysis is not a one-time process, but a continuous one. As your project progresses, you may need to review and refine your site analysis to reflect any changes in the site conditions, project goals, or user needs. You may also have to evaluate the performance of your design and adjust it accordingly. Doing so can ensure your design is responsive, adaptive, and sustainable.
A well thought out landscape design will take into consideration current site conditions and logically apply solutions to them in the design. Potential future issues need to be taken into consideration at the time of design too. Over time plants grow, pavers can settle, and areas of the landscapes may change with a change of property ownership. As site conditions change with time it may need to be re-evaluated.
If you are part of a business campus make sure that you reach out to managers at other companies so that you will be able to address issues as site conditions change. Make sure you have a good relationship with the property manager of the site.
Just as it is important for a customer to be comfortable and able to work with a contractor. It is also equally as important for the contractor to find a customer that they are comfortable in working for. Some of the best jobs, are the jobs I politely said "no thanks" to, and moved on. If you and a potential customer can't see eye to eye during the design phase, you will run into problems during the construction phase, that will cost you.