Assessing designers

CID has been publishing exclusive extracts from Kenneth Laidler’s paper on the continual assessment of professional designers. In this final installment, Laidler focuses on the business development role.

Client awareness and cultural comprehension

It could be argued that comprehending cultural differences and being aware of clients’ needs is fundamental for any business – and, indeed, a part of life itself.

It goes without saying that all designers must be aware of the role of business development. Business development in our profession centres on the need to develop the company’s client and project base. In the past, referrals were the only method of increasing business and to a great extent this is still the most effective manner of building a stable business base.

The business development manager is the very first point of contact for new clients and should understand every aspect of the company, from services that the company offers to the approximate time that it would take to deliver (considering the company’s current workload), company ethics, fee levels, the suitability of the company to a certain project or, indeed, vice versa.

The business development manager must represent the very essence of the company, from style to ethics. They are part of the team and should fully understand first, what the design company is offering, and secondly, what the potential client requires.

In many instances the client’s brief may be relayed to the business development manager first, and it is his or her interpretation of that first brief that can influence the development of the designed environment.

It can not be overstressed, therefore, that the role of the business development manager is instrumental to whether there is a project or not.

Any business development manager in the interior design consultancy world must be fully conversant with design terminology. In fact, many interior design graduates find their way into business development, where their developed presentation and communications skills are utilised to the full.

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Furthermore, preliminary discussions with potential clients may often evolve satisfactorily when the business development manager demonstrates his or her detailed knowledge of both the design process and the company itself.

How then do we test or evaluate the business development role? It could be that provided the business development manager is bringing new projects to the company, that is the acid test of their competence, and so long as that continues, there is no need to look further. That argument stands up very well; if it is proved that the business development manager has little clear understanding of design but is still managing to secure good projects, then why repair something that is not broken?

The alternative argument is that if business can be obtained with this limited level of knowledge, imagine what could be achieved with greater understanding. In which case, the business development manager’s level of specialisation could perhaps be tested in the areas of scope of services, contractual obligations, brief taking, design deliverables on a stage by stage basis, public speaking, presentation skills, and involvement in marketing and company presentations.

The test

It must be stressed that continual development and education is the only way in which any designer can grow. As such, encouragement should be given to all graduates, employed or otherwise, in order to raise the level of professional competence within the industry.

With severe pressure on design companies to meet deadlines, it is not surprising that many companies are not able to offer continual development for staff, and concentrate on literally flying from one project to another without taking time to reflect on their efforts or shortcomings.

There is a real need for practitioners to not only develop but to be recognised for that development.

Practical examinations or assessments of this nature encourage practitioners to develop, improve and expand their capabilities, and also enable them to be recognised by their employers and their peers through increases in status or financial reward.