01
Capture the request without translating it
You gather the client's exact language, the current design intent, the project phase, and the known constraints. You keep stated facts separate from your interpretation.
Made for Architects
Clarify What the Client Actually Wants Changed
Also useful for: people in Creative
20 min
Intermediate
Creative
Architect
Communicate Better
Career outcome:
Avoid Professional Risk
Turn a loosely stated client change into a clear design question before you revise drawings, involve consultants, or discuss scope impacts.
We'll use them to write your prompt.
Completed ✓
Make Your Play
Give us the situation. We’ll build the prompt.
You can avoid solving the wrong problem when your client jumps straight to a preferred design fix.
Your answers save as you type.
What you'll do
This is the plan inside your prompt. Add your details first. Then follow these steps with ChatGPT or Claude.
02
Separate the need from the proposed fix
You run the primary prompt to test what outcome may sit behind the requested design move and where the request remains ambiguous.
03
Frame the next client decision
You refine the generated questions and talking points so your next conversation resolves the highest-value uncertainty before design work continues.
Make Your Play
Clarify What the Client Actually Wants Changed
Tell us what the prompt needs to know
Start with the questions below. Each answer personalizes the playbook and builds the prompt you’ll use at the end.
Your situation
Provide the client's exact request or your closest reliable record of it.
0/10000
Explain what the current design is meant to accomplish and why the affected elements are arranged as shown.
0/10000
Select the phase that sets the context for how far the design has progressed.
List the conditions that may need to remain fixed, such as program, code, accessibility, structure, systems, budget, schedule, or prior approvals.
0/10000
Record why your client says the change is needed, including complaints, observations, goals, or evidence already shared.
0/10000
Identify who needs to decide and when you need that decision to avoid wasted design work or delay.
0/10000
This playbook was updated. Review your inputs before copying.
What you'll do
Check a step when you finish it.
01
Capture the request without translating it
You gather the client's exact language, the current design intent, the project phase, and the known constraints. You keep stated facts separate from your interpretation.
02
Separate the need from the proposed fix
You run the primary prompt to test what outcome may sit behind the requested design move and where the request remains ambiguous.
03
Frame the next client decision
You refine the generated questions and talking points so your next conversation resolves the highest-value uncertainty before design work continues.
Fill in the fields above to generate your prompt preview.
Assembled prompt
Beginner instructions
You can start with the client’s exact words, even if the request arrived in a short email or meeting note. Add only the constraints you know. When you review the result, check that every claimed fact came from your information and every uncertain point is labeled as an assumption.
Advanced instructions
You can strengthen the result by adding the current design rationale, prior approvals, consultant dependencies, and the source of each constraint. Use the questions to control the next conversation, but keep fee, schedule, and formal change analysis separate until your client confirms the actual need.
Use this when
Use this when your client requests a layout, material, facade, program, or system change but hasn't clearly explained the desired outcome, priority, or acceptable tradeoffs.
You'll need
- Client request
- Current design intent
- Project phase
- Known constraints
- Request context
- Decision context
You'll get
- A factual restatement of the request, a separate statement of the likely need, clear fixed and flexible conditions, labeled assumptions, focused clarification questions, and one client decision that unlocks the next design move.
By the end of this playbook
You will have:
- A factual restatement of the request, a separate statement of the likely need, clear fixed and flexible conditions, labeled assumptions, focused clarification questions, and one client decision that unlocks the next design move.
Examples
Progress 1 of 3