Programming Checklist for Interior Designers

Here at Designer Sanity, we’re all about processes and checklists to keep your business running like a well-oiled machine. In this 4-part series, we’re going to cover your checklists for everything that needs to take place during each of the 4 main design phases: Programming, Schematic Design, Design Development and Construction Documents.

For each of these phases, there is a list of key questions that need to be answered in order to move onto the next phase. Knowing what these questions are, and answering them in order, will ensure your design process runs smoothly. Curious about what the key questions are? Read on for your Programming checklist.

What is Programming?

But before we get started with your checklist, let’s back up really quickly and define exactly what the Programming phase is for interior designers, in case it’s not a term you’re familiar with. For interior designers, Programming is the first phase which takes place right after your design contract is signed with the client.

The goal of Programming is to clarify your vision, scope and existing conditions. It’s all the information you need to gather about the project in order to start designing. You may have another name for this first phase, like “discovery” or “kick-off”. Regardless of the name, getting this first phase right sets the stage for the rest of the project to run smoothly.

Before Programming, we’re going to assume that you have already done an initial interview with the client and most likely walked through the space to discuss their scope of work in order to write up a letter of agreement for the client to sign. At this initial interview with the client, you discussed their ballpark budget, timeline for the project and scope of services and established that they are a good fit for your company.

Once the client has signed their contract and you’re ready to move into Programming, you already have a good idea of what the general scope of the project is, the ballpark budget for the project, and general timeline. Your job in Programming will be to build on this initial information and dig deeper.

Our checklist for Programming includes everything we need to do to gather all of the existing information about the project so we can clarify our vision, scope and existing conditions.

What are the Client’s wants & needs?

A detailed design questionnaire will allow you to go into much more detail about every part of the project, from what kind of faucet they want to how many small appliances they need to store. The design questionnaire needs to cover:

-Client contact information.

-A list of each area of the project and detailed questions about how the space will be used, how it relates to adjoining spaces and the outdoors, and detailed questions about each item that could be included in the space, including storage needs.

What are the Client’s style and aesthetic preferences?

The best way to find out the client’s style and preferred aesthetics is by getting their inspiration images. I prefer this method over asking the client about their style in the design questionnaire. In my experience, most clients aren’t familiar enough with design terminology in order to accurately describe their style, and in many cases, they’re not really sure what it is.

Rather than getting hung up on terminology, it’s much easier to get their images of what they like and have them tell you what they like about each one - don’t assume! A client could send you a beautiful image of a whole kitchen but hate everything about it except the faucet. By the time you've talked through their images with them, you should have a good sense of their style and what they like.

A quick tip - you can share a google doc and simply have the client copy and paste their images into it, having them write below what they like about each one. I find this method to be much easier than having them share images any other way (pinterest and houzz file sharing is troublesome in my experience!)

What if the client doesn't have any images or they don’t know what they like? In cases like this, the best plan is to create a standard style presentation that you can pull out to show the client different styles and get an idea of what they like. By the end of the conversation, you should have a pretty good idea of what the clients style and aesthetic preferences are.

What are the existing site conditions?

Schedule a site measure to document the existing conditions and gather all the measurements and information needed so you can create your as-built drawings. Take extensive photos of everything. Adding Panos to your regular pics can be a great way to show everything in one photo, especially in a small space. Be sure to take photos and measure any items that will be incorporated into the new design, such as furnishings or appliances.

We also use a color-matching device called Color Muse to document and match the colors of any items that will remain in the space that we’ll need to design around, like a wood floor, existing paint to remain, or fireplace stone. Don’t have a color-matching device? This can be done old-school with a paint fan-deck.

What are the structural constraints?

Find out everything you can about the structural constraints of the projects during Programming. Removing a wall and want to know if it’s load-bearing? Adding on? The best way to do this is to schedule a walk-through with your General Contractor during the site measure and find out everything you can. If the project is tricky structurally, you may also want to bring in a structural engineer to do an initial walk-through during this phase.

What are the Codes, rules and regulations?

Does this project include any tricky code or permitting issues that you need to clarify? Programming is the time to gather all the information you need from the city permitting office, either by researching online or visiting in person. If you’re adding on and need to clarify setbacks, or adding a window and need to clarify what’s required for the historic district your project is in, now is the time. This would also apply for HOA or Condo regulations.

Tricky code issues that need to be viewed on site, like headroom at an existing stair? You may be able to have a city inspector out to give you advice for a nominal fee.

Programming is the time to research all of the information, rules and regulations that apply to your project and make sure you have your bases covered before any design work is done. No one wants to get a client excited about an amazing design idea only to find out later it’s not allowed by code. Digging deeper during Programming is the best way to prevent this.