SOPs for design studios: standardising without killing the craft
Seven one-page SOPs worth having, why they must be written from what already happens, and how to separate what must not vary from the design itself.
Blueprint OS Blog
Writing for people who run studios
Practical writing on running an architecture or interior design studio — pricing, phases, approvals, snagging, profitability and team structure.
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Structuring a small design studio team
Three to twelve people is where most design studios break. Where the real bottleneck is, what changes at each size, and what the principal must stop doing.
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Site visit reports that actually get read
A visit should produce progress variance, decisions taken on site, and items with owners. The one-screen structure, and how to photograph deliberately.
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Why your interior projects lose money, and how to see it early
Projects fail in week three, not at handover. The four causes, the one number that predicts the outcome, and how to cost your team properly.
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Timesheets for design studios, without the resentment
Designers resist timesheets because they are usually surveillance. Scoped to pricing rather than performance, they are the only way to quote accurately.
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How to get design approvals signed off faster
Approval delay is rarely client indecision. It is bundled decisions, too many options, and the wrong person in the room. What to change.
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Snag lists for interior projects: a template that survives contact with site
A snag list structure that gets defects fixed and holds up in a dispute - six fields, three states, severity definitions and a room-by-room route.
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The five phases of an interior design project (and where each one goes wrong)
Discovery, design, procurement, execution, handover - and the specific failure mode at each phase boundary, with the gate that prevents it.
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How to price an interior design project in India
Per square foot, percentage of project value, or fixed fee - each breaks differently. A practical comparison with the hourly cost arithmetic.
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Project management software for interior designers: what actually matters
Generic PM tools assume software teams. Design studios run on phases, client approvals and site reality. What to look for, and what to ignore.