What do you do if your client's vision for their commercial interior design is unclear?

> Explore their brand identity, target audience, desired work environment, and functional needs. > Use visuals like mood boards and competitor examples to spark ideas. > Develop a few initial design concepts with varying aesthetics and layouts. This helps guide the conversation and clarifies their preferences. > Work iteratively with the client. Get feedback on each concept and use it to refine the design until it aligns with their vision and goals.

Here are some strategies to navigate this situation: Active Listening and Open-Ended Questions: Listen Attentively: Begin by attentively listening to the client's initial thoughts and goals for the space. Pay close attention to keywords that might reveal their desired atmosphere (e.g., collaborative, innovative, professional). Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of yes or no questions, use open-ended ones to probe deeper. Examples include: "What kind of experience do you want your clients/employees to have in this space?" "Can you describe your ideal work environment?" "Are there any specific design styles or brands you find appealing?"

If the assignment remains unclear, always ask questions with open questions and only then complete the piece with a closed question. There is no point in leaving without substantive and clear notes.

Usually when dealing with commercial interiors the first thing I'd do is to do some "CSI" into the prospect. This will help you identify whether they have an established direction or corporate traits to follow. Or, if they are a new startup, my usual questions will rather direct them on a journey in visualizing their brand image. In terms of planning, best is to come out with a few bubble followed by test fits and show on those drawings where your brand images integrates with the room functions and how traffic flows. Put in some efforts into capturing the operational functions to showcase the efficiency of your plans.

Visualization Tools: Inspiration Images: Encourage clients to gather inspirational images from magazines, websites, or Pinterest boards. Discussing the specific elements they like in these images will provide valuable insights. Mood Boards: Create mood boards showcasing furniture styles, color palettes, and materials that align with the client's initial feedback. This helps them visualize the overall aesthetic direction.

A huge aspect of being a great interior designer is educating your clients and knowing what questions to ask to help them better understand their own design style. What do they like about this piece, or what do they really find unsettling about this piece. Part of our job is educating them and helping them on their way to discovering what they love.

First few steps are meeting regularly and spending time time with the client to understand his needs properly. That time and energy is most important than the 90% of the rest of the project time. Still if there is a pending clarity, then start researching and find out the correct solution for the client ( if he's practical enough ), and go some real hard grind onto you to come up with an immaculate solution that fits into the requirement clearly. Leave the project if no proper inputs are available from the senior management. It shall be at crossroads and look like a miserable thing after some time then.

Trying to ask many questions in order to figure out what the client needs to do,

Understanding Functionality: Space Utilization: Discuss how the space will be used. Will it be a high-traffic area, a meeting room, or a quiet workspace? Understanding the function helps define furniture layout and overall flow. Branding Integration: Discuss how the design should reflect the company's brand identity. Consider incorporating brand colors, logos, or design elements that resonate with their target audience.

Educational Resources: Industry Trends: Share industry trends and showcase examples of successful commercial interior design projects that might resonate with the client's vision. Material and Furniture Options: Provide brochures, catalogs, or online resources showcasing furniture and material options that fit the budget and the emerging design direction.

Budget Considerations: Early Budget Discussions: Have a frank conversation about the budget early on. Understanding their financial limitations helps set realistic expectations and guide material selection and furniture choices. Value Engineering: If the client's vision exceeds the budget, brainstorm alternative materials, furniture lines, or layouts that achieve a similar aesthetic while staying within budget constraints.

Collaborative Design Process: Present Multiple Concepts: Don't present just one design idea. Offer several design options that reflect different interpretations of the client's feedback. This allows them to choose elements they like from various concepts, ultimately leading to a more refined design direction. Client Feedback and Refinement: Actively incorporate client feedback throughout the design process. Make adjustments to the design based on their preferences and concerns. This collaborative approach ensures their final approval and satisfaction. By implementing these strategies, you can effectively navigate an unclear client's vision.

All of these points towards client clarity are important and can be useful. What do you do when the client really hasn't the communication skillsets and and you know there's more to determine to move forward. In my experience if a client knows they want change but don't know really what the like, I will ask them what they don't like. This is referential recall that we all have when we've encountered something or someplace that has irritants. Poor traffic flow, lighting, aromas from a kitchen , jarring color, flooring surfaces , it can be any number of things but whatever those things are that your client will have to offer up, they are not only the things to avoid but they will help guide you to a client positive result.