Designing in circles is a common problem that many recent graduates face when starting their careers in architecture. It can be a challenging habit to break, but it’s essential to develop a more productive design process that maximizes profitability for firms and creates successful projects for clients. In this post, we’ll discuss how to recognize when you’re designing in circles and offer tips on how to break the cycle.
Recognizing When You’re Designing in Circles
Designing in circles means repeatedly redesigning something rather than creating a few options and moving on to details. This is a problem because a firm earns its money based on a fee, which typically comes from the number of hours spent on a project. If you spend an entire month constantly redesigning the same thing, then other tasks are not getting done, there is no progress being made, and likely creating additional stress on your teammates that are trying to progress the project forward.
It’s important to recognize when you’re doing this to break the cycle and create a more efficient design process. Here are some signs that you may be designing in circles:
If you’re experiencing any of these signs, it’s likely that you’re designing in circles. The good news is that you can break the cycle and create a more efficient design process.
Tips for Breaking the Habit of Designing in Circles
If you answered yes to any of the above, then you are likely designing in circles. We have some tips for you to break the habit. These tips can also be good for senior architects that notice when their team member is designing in circles.
1
SET CLEAR GOALS & DEADLINES
Start by setting clear goals and deadlines for your design process. This will help you stay focused and avoid getting stuck in a cycle of redesigning. Set realistic deadlines and stick to them to ensure that you’re making progress.
Also, understand where you are in terms of a project deadline. You will probably be provided smaller task deadlines from your Project Architect or Project Manager. But you need to know when there is time to study options and other times when you need to make a decision now, live with it, and move on.
2
LIMIT YOUR OPTIONS
It’s essential to limit your design options to avoid getting overwhelmed and spending too much time on minor details. Focus on creating a few solid design options and work from there. You can always make changes later, but it’s important to start with a clear plan and stick to it.
3
UNDERSTAND WHAT PHASE OF DESIGN YOU ARE IN
In college studio courses, you had regular crits with your professor. If you worked to make sure every iteration was perfect, you’d never sleep. It was about quick and dirty iterations, receive feedback, adjust quickly, and move on. The same thing goes for the office environment. The design process may be longer than a typical college semester, but in the real world, you need time to coordinate with other disciplines and fully detail the building. This is not something you get to in a short college semester.
4
GET FEEDBACK
Feedback is crucial in the design process. Share your designs with colleagues, mentors, and clients to get feedback and input. This can be very helpful if you find yourself a very indecisive person. But once you receive feedback, you need to keep progressing forward. Typically, after getting feedback from colleagues, there are just a few options that are determined need to be studied more before showing the owner.
This will help you refine your ideas and avoid designing in circles. Be open to feedback and use it to improve your designs.
5
TAKE BREAKS
Taking breaks is essential to avoid burnout and keep your mind fresh. Schedule breaks throughout your day to rest your mind and recharge. It’s important to step away from your designs and come back with a fresh perspective. If you have other tasks to break up the day, this can help you come back with a fresh set of eyes. Or if it is close to lunch, then go take a walk. Walks during the day are not only good for writers/design block but also help to reduce stress.
6
LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES
It’s essential to learn from your mistakes and use them to improve your designs. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you make mistakes or have to redesign something. Instead, use these experiences to learn and grow as a designer.
Breaking the habit of designing in circles takes time and effort, but it’s essential to develop a more efficient design process. It is also essential for an office to not have their staff designing in circles or else the firm will end up losing money. And in the end, remember, this is a business. And if you want better salaries, benefits, bonuses, etc, the firm needs to be making a profit.
Designing in circles can be a challenging habit to break, but it’s essential to develop a more efficient design process. By recognizing the signs of designing in circles and implementing these tips, recent graduates can create successful projects that meet the needs of clients and maximize profitability for firms. Remember to set clear goals and deadlines, limit your options, understand the design phases, get feedback, take breaks, and learn from your mistakes. With these strategies, you can break the cycle of designing in circles and become a more productive and successful designer.
Written by
Katelyn Rossier, AIA, LSSBB
