Understanding and Incorporating Client Vision: The Foundation of Our Design Process

What steps do we take to understand and incorporate our clients’ vision into the design process?

“I feel it is crucial to learn exactly what the client envisions before we begin the design process. This may require conversations with multiple people within the organization who could all have different ideas of what they want. It is not always possible to meet the expectations of each team member but we strive to incorporate as much as we can into our designs. It is also very important to maintain communication with the client team members throughout the design process to ensure we are meeting their expectations and that they are comfortable with the direction we are headed with the system(s) we are designing.” – Sara Sowers, PE

1. Transparency: Open Communication

At the heart of understanding our clients’ vision lies our commitment to Transparency. By ensuring open communication lines, we prioritize the value of:

  • Conducting comprehensive client interviews and roundtables, understanding varying perspectives from different team members.
  • Regular check-ins throughout the design process, ensuring alignment and facilitating any required pivots.

2. Relentless: Find A Way

When faced with multiple viewpoints or a challenging brief, our Relentless nature comes into play:

  • We harness a “find a way” mentality. Even if we can’t meet every team member’s expectation, we ensure that the core vision is intact and prominently reflected.
  • We seek feedback actively, adapting and making changes where necessary.

3. Expertise: Trained & Specialized

Our design process isn’t just about incorporating feedback; it’s about doing so with finesse and professionalism. That’s where Expertise steps in:

  • Our team, trained and specialized, is adept at sieving through feedback to distinguish between constructive inputs and personal preferences.
  • We lean on our expertise to guide our clients and offer insights on design best practices while valuing their perspective.

4. Enjoyment: Have Fun

Lastly, at the core of every project is our value of Enjoyment:

  • We believe that the design process should be collaborative and fun. By ensuring our clients are involved and excited, we make the journey as memorable as the final output.
  • Challenges are embraced with positivity, making the design journey a joyful experience for all parties involved.

The Symbiotic Relationship Between Vision and Design

Understanding and incorporating our client’s vision is not just a step in our design process; it’s the foundation upon which our designs are built. By aligning with our core values, we ensure a collaborative and fulfilling journey towards achieving a design that both we and our clients are proud of.

WPAFB Sensors Lab

Wright-Patt Air Force Base sought contractors to renovate and add onto the Sensors Lab. The HVAC portion of the project was over $13 million.

  • MSD served as the Design Assist Contractor in conjunction with Heapy Engineering for this project. In collaborating with General Contractor, Butt Construction, MSD provided Design Assist solutions for the following:
    • A large, anechoic chamber
    • An outdoor range
    • Multiple, Class-100 clean rooms
    • A three-story office building addition with DCID 6-9 requirements on many of the rooms

WPAFB Chilled Water System

The chilled water system at a high-security building on the Air Force Base was undersized and unable to keep up with demand. The facility could not operate without chilled water due to the amount of information servers in the building, and the general nature of the building itself. The entire upgrade project would need to be completed with minimal shut down time at the building. HVAC portion of this project was over $3 million.

  • MSD worked in collaboration with Diaz Construction to complete the system upgrades on time and on budget with minimal shutdowns or disruption to the facility operations.

LJB, Inc.

LJB, Inc. was renovating their Miamisburg, OH office and wanted to incorporate energy-saving upgrades.

  • MSD provided Design Build services in tandem with Greensleeves Energy Solutions, a specialist in geothermal systems.
  • MSD and Greensleeves installed a new geothermal HVAC system with open and closed loops. In addition, MSD design and installed the plumbing portion of the renovation.