If you are any kind of designer that works with clients, you may have been faced with a challenging brief at least once or twice in your “career” [I put that word in inverted commas as I really don’t like it – it seems so formal, but that’s for another discussion]. You may have had your clients come to you asking for solutions that really challenge the conventional, or maybe it’s just challenging for them.The success of these [or any other] projects also relies on your clients ability to shift their thinking and start to see themselves in new ways. Perhaps this could be their new home where they ask you to design them a house with a series of open spaces that flow on from one another, but when it comes down to the crunch they freak out and start asking for the walls to be put back in, or they really want that kitchen to be closed off so that you can’t see the mess because “that’s how they live at the moment”.I was recently involved in pitch to a potential new client which needed to address this very issue on a much larger scale than the house example I gave. The design brief, although not yet established, was clearly going to be a huge challenge for both the design team and the client. And often, as designers, we can use our client as an excuse as to why the project is never going to be the best it can be, or cutting edge, or innovative, because “our client just wasn’t that way” or “they are just too conservative”. I think that we need to remember that the role of our client is not to be innovative or creative. The role is to embrace innovation and creativity, and there is a big difference between the two. How can we expect them to get it, if we don’t show them how?After some thought, I asked myself this question – are Designers in fact just like Personal Trainers and Coaches?[I did tell you somewhere along the way that I love metaphors, didn’t I?]Let’s say your client has a goal to get off their butt to do some exercise and get their fitness to a reasonable level so that they are not puffing each time they walk up a steep street. Or maybe they are already reasonably fit and just want to tweak things so they can run the next City to Surf. Or maybe compete in a triathlon. Or they may even have an ambition to become a world class athlete and a gold medalist. Clearly their goals will depend on where their starting point is, but also the level of commitment. After all, it takes a different amount of dedication from running a fun run to wining the gold. The personal trainer, or a coach has the tools to get their client anywhere they want to go, but first we need to know what the goal is. It’s called beginning with an end in mind.Very often things get tough along the way, especially if the project is a long one. We get tired, the client loses their focus, other factors come into play like the budget, timing, contractors etc. It can be very easy to lose control especially if our clients starts to lose the track of what we are trying to achieve. It is exactly in those moments that we must be in control, just like the personal trainer. We have to coach our client through and keep our energy high so that the best outcome can be achieved.Always remember that innovation isn’t an easy process. Just like winning gold. If it was, everyone would be doing it. Growth and results can hurt, and so can training with the coach, but the rewards are all the sweeter.[image via creativebits.org.]Share the love:FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPinterest 5 Responses Kel January 14, 2010 Tres cool girl – love the Madrid residence – just like our house (only not!) Reply Personal Training in Canberra January 25, 2010 Great article! Reply Sellopersonal January 31, 2010 You can see lots of them in: http://estudioindesign.blogspot.com/2009/04/buenas-ideas-para-tarjetas-de-visita.html Reply Deb Nagan January 5, 2011 Your article completely resonates with us, and a particular project we have recently ‘finished’. The job has left our clients and us exhausted (perhaps there’s a personal rtainer for architects in this position…) – but this piece sensitively tackles a very real aspect of the client/designer relationship, perseverence. With every job (we do mostly private residential) we have a ‘cooling off’ break as the client’s move in and we are inevitabley working on new schemes. Clients need to get acquainted with their new home, they need to stomp and blame their architects for the ‘mistakes’ and we all need to lick our wounds. But underneath it we have often formed enduring friendships borne out of our close attention to detail and the detailed needs of the client. This dawns on them slowly and is often the result of their friends and visitors admiring comments on their new place! Reply Jennifer October 6, 2019 As an architect, it is my responsibility to push clients beyond their comfort zone & question their initial programmatic needs. Our education provides us the tools to holistically analyze & find solutions to the initial problem outside of the obvious answers. A successful project is one where the clients are heard, but the solution is layered in an understanding of place making, function, flow, materiality & unexpected delights that are curated by a smart (& patient) designer. I really appreciate your metaphor because it is sometimes challenging to explain the need of a designer outside of a builder or design-build contractor. Both a designer & a coach are a luxury item, but both demonstrate a professional with an expertise intended to bring the best out of their client through hard work & effort. Thanks! ReplyLeave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ
Kel January 14, 2010 Tres cool girl – love the Madrid residence – just like our house (only not!) Reply
Sellopersonal January 31, 2010 You can see lots of them in: http://estudioindesign.blogspot.com/2009/04/buenas-ideas-para-tarjetas-de-visita.html Reply
Deb Nagan January 5, 2011 Your article completely resonates with us, and a particular project we have recently ‘finished’. The job has left our clients and us exhausted (perhaps there’s a personal rtainer for architects in this position…) – but this piece sensitively tackles a very real aspect of the client/designer relationship, perseverence. With every job (we do mostly private residential) we have a ‘cooling off’ break as the client’s move in and we are inevitabley working on new schemes. Clients need to get acquainted with their new home, they need to stomp and blame their architects for the ‘mistakes’ and we all need to lick our wounds. But underneath it we have often formed enduring friendships borne out of our close attention to detail and the detailed needs of the client. This dawns on them slowly and is often the result of their friends and visitors admiring comments on their new place! Reply
Jennifer October 6, 2019 As an architect, it is my responsibility to push clients beyond their comfort zone & question their initial programmatic needs. Our education provides us the tools to holistically analyze & find solutions to the initial problem outside of the obvious answers. A successful project is one where the clients are heard, but the solution is layered in an understanding of place making, function, flow, materiality & unexpected delights that are curated by a smart (& patient) designer. I really appreciate your metaphor because it is sometimes challenging to explain the need of a designer outside of a builder or design-build contractor. Both a designer & a coach are a luxury item, but both demonstrate a professional with an expertise intended to bring the best out of their client through hard work & effort. Thanks! Reply