I encourage you to read this section, as it will greatly enhance your understanding of how everything fits together. I promise it wont take long.

The Design Process: An Introduction

Every designer approaches their work a little differently when it comes to the design process, administration, project planning, and execution. Creativity is personal, and no two workflows are exactly the same. However, after interviewing hundreds of interior designers, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern: while the approach may vary, most designers ultimately need to check the same essential boxes.

In this training program, I’ll introduce a logical, streamlined design process that reflects these commonalities. It’s designed to be practical, efficient, and supportive of your creative freedom. I encourage you to keep an open mind—you’ll find that the platform offers enough flexibility to adapt this process to your own unique way of working.

Our Mission: More Design, Less Administration

Let’s be honest: no one gets excited about the administrative side of design. Our mission is to minimize that burden so you can focus on what you love—designing. I hope you agree that this is a goal worth striving for, and our platform is here to help make it a reality.
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Structure with a Purpose

As you explore the platform, you’ll notice there are areas where we’ve intentionally provided less flexibility. This is by design. These structured elements:

• Keep the team aligned, including external collaborators.

• Ensure consistent naming principles and file organization.

• Help you find what you need, when you need it.

I understand that adapting to a new structure might take a little time, and I appreciate your patience as you adjust. I promise that in the long run, this structure will save time, reduce friction, and keep projects running smoothly.

That said, I always aim to balance structure with adaptability. Throughout the process, I’ve built in “back doors” where you can adjust or customize your workflow without feeling locked into one way of working. I’ll highlight these options as we move through the training.

A Summary of the Design Process

For a more detailed explanation, feel free to check out the blog I wrote about this topic.

The Design Process in 5 Easy Steps

However, here’s a quick summary of the steps we follow:

Step 1: The Plan

Step 2: The Schedule or shopping list

Step 3: The Selections or items

Step 4: Presentation & Approval

Step 5: The schedule, complete with specifications

Let’s Get Started

This training program will walk you through this process step by step, showing you how the platform is designed to support each phase. Along the way, I’ll point out tips, tricks, and customization options to make it work seamlessly for you.

Thank you for being open to trying this approach. Together, we’ll achieve a more efficient and enjoyable way of working. Let’s dive in!

Let’s begin with some terminology and the structure we’ve used to build this system. While this structure provides a high degree of flexibility, we recognize that it might require a shift in mindset for some users. Our goal was to design a system that works for everyone, enabling seamless collaboration among all project stakeholders. To achieve this, the system is centralized, ensuring that all information and resources are accessible in one place for maximum efficiency and clarity.

Let's start with the Room and Space relationship.

Definitions:

A Room is a basic concept (an easy start), but it’s also a collection of at least one Space—and potentially more. A Room always includes a Primary Space, which shares the same name as the Room. For example, in the plan above, the Room is the Primary Bathroom, and its Primary Space is also called Primary Bathroom. This will make more sense as we dive into how Spaces are defined.

A Space is an area within a Room, typically enclosed by its own four walls (elevations). In the plan above, the Room (Primary Bathroom) includes additional Spaces, such as:

• Primary Bathroom - W/C - 117

• Primary Bathroom - Shower - 118

This means the Primary Bathroom Room contains three defined Spaces:

1. Primary Bathroom - 116 (the main space)

2. Primary Bathroom - W/C - 117

3. Primary Bathroom - Shower - 118

In some Rooms, there is only one Space. For instance, a Guest Bedroom might consist of just the main Space named Guest Bedroom.

Here’s how this concept is displayed in the Design.Efficiently platform:

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Locations

Locations are defined as specific places where you need to place an item. For example, a floor can be considered a location. In this case, it’s an area measurement, as it has measurable dimensions (square feet or square meters). On the other hand, a shower-head is also a location, but it doesn’t have an area measurement. To keep terminology consistent, we use the word location to refer to any place or area measurement where a unique item is positioned.

Focusing on Plumbing Locations

Let’s take a closer look at Plumbing Locations in the context of a Primary Bathroom. Suppose we need two sinks and two faucets. This scenario introduces some flexibility in how locations are defined.

• Option 1: Define two separate locations for the sinks (e.g., left sink and right sink) and two locations for the faucets (left faucet and right faucet).

• Option 2: Use one location for the sinks and assign a quantity of 2, and similarly, one location for the faucets with a quantity of 2.

Both approaches are valid, and the choice depends on how you prefer to structure your design. The Design.efficiently Platform allows you to either.

How it Appears in the Design.Efficiently Platform

Using the second approach, the platform would display:

• Sink Location: Quantity 2

• Faucet Location: Quantity 2

Catalog Item Structure

The catalog item structure is organized into divisions, with each item further categorized by a type and a subtype. This hierarchical structure allows for precise definition of specific attributes based on the item’s division, type, and subtype.

For example:

• Division: Furniture

• Type: Bed

• Subtype: King Bed

This structure ensures that every item in the catalog is clearly classified, making it easier to assign relevant attributes, streamline item selection, and maintain consistency across projects.

Some further examples:

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Rather than directly attaching an item to a location, we first assign an Item ID. This approach provides greater flexibility, as an Item ID can be associated with multiple locations. When you later assign a specific item to an Item ID, it automatically applies to all the linked locations.

Why Use Item IDs?

Let’s consider an example to demonstrate the value of this approach:

Imagine you’re using the same wood flooring in six different rooms or spaces. Instead of assigning the wood flooring item directly to six separate locations, you create a single Item ID for the wood floor. Then, you associate that Item ID with all six locations. Later, when you select a specific wood flooring product for the Item ID, it automatically updates across all linked locations.

This method not only saves time but also ensures consistency across locations. It also enables advanced features, which we’ll explore later in this training.
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How It Works in the Design.Efficiently Platform

Below, you’ll see how the platform displays two Item IDs linked to their respective locations. This simple but powerful system eliminates redundant work and opens the door to a more efficient design process.

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I promise we're almost done.

The Items: Completing the Connection

The final step in the process is attaching the Item to the corresponding Item ID. This step completes the connection by linking the Room, Space, Location, Item ID, and finally, the Item itself.

By following this structure, you achieve a fully integrated design system that simplifies updates, ensures consistency, and reduces redundant work.

Example: Items Linked to Item IDs

Below is an example of how the platform displays items attached to their respective Item IDs. This clear and organized connection ensures that all locations associated with the Item ID are instantly updated when the specific item is selected.

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This explains the core structure of the system: Room, Space, Location, Item ID, and Item. As I mentioned, this is simply the foundational structure. How you choose to start—whether with items, rooms, spaces, or locations—is entirely up to you and the way you prefer to manage your design process.

In our training modules, we’ll walk through the process that I find most effective. However, the platform is designed with plenty of flexibility to accommodate your unique workflow. The choice is yours, and we’re here to support whichever approach works best for you.