Introducing Alan, Head Of Studio
November 24, 2025
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Hi, I’m Alan… I began my career in the visualisation industry over eighteen years ago, joining iCreate as an intern shortly after completing my degree
Design by Visualisation | Why It’s Happening, and 4 ways we are Solving It.
There’s a phrase we’ve been hearing more and more lately:
“Design by Visualisation.”
It sounds clever, but it also points to something more insightful: visuals are increasingly being used to work out the design, rather than communicate it.
After watching this trend appear across multiple projects, we keep coming back to two core issues:
1. The design intent often isn’t fully developed.
2. Our visuals don’t represent that intent clearly enough.
Both designers and visualisation teams feel the pain. usually in the form of rounds of changes, mixed messages, and slipping confidence.
So what’s actually going on?
The Design Intent Problem
Are designers simply too busy to fully resolve a scheme before it gets sent to visualisation?
Are project timelines shrinking to the point where “good enough for now” becomes the norm?
When intent is incomplete, visualisation artists are put in a position where they’re guessing, interpreting, and filling in gaps. That’s risky, and it often leads to rework.
The Visuals Problem
On the other side, if the visual looks “OK” but doesn’t accurately express the design intent, we’re in trouble too.
A beautiful image that misrepresents the project isn’t a success. It just means:
Endless tweaks
Confusion about what’s “real” and what’s not
Frustration from all parties
Great visuals shouldn’t create ambiguity. They should resolve it.
So the question becomes:
"How do we move away from “design by visualisation” and back to design + visualisation working in sync?"
"How We’ve Responded: Our Studio Workflow"
As a studio, we decided not just to complain about the problem, but to design a process around it.
Here’s the workflow we’ve developed to protect the design, the visuals, and the client experience.
1. Once the Project Is Won
The workflow starts as soon as the job is confirmed:
The Account Manager (AM) updates the brief with all available project details.
Our resource manager (RM) assigns the Revit technician and artist(s) to the job.
RM completes a handover so the team understands the scope, context, and constraints.
The artist then contacts the client directly to:
Establish rapport
Introduce themselves as a partner, not just a production resource
Begin reviewing project information
Set expectations and identify what’s missing
Already, this removes guesswork and starts building trust.
So how do we fix this cycle?
“Great visuals should clarify the design, not complicate it.”
2. The Kick-Off Meeting (Non-Negotiable)
A proper kick-off meeting is essential. Its goals:
Build a personal connection and confidence
Confirm the brief, goals, and deliverables (and align with what the AM has captured)
Identify missing information and agree on when it will arrive
Clarify ambiguities and align expectations on what the visuals can and cannot show
Set deadlines and milestones, and note key stakeholders
e.g. “I need this by this time or otherwise that will be affected.”
Establish benchmarks for deliverables and define what “good” looks like
Set clear meeting outcomes so everyone knows what was decided
- IDENTIFY OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND KEY DECISION MAKERS, THOSE WHO MAY APPEAR LATE TO THE PROCESS WITH NEW IDEAS, INFORMATION AND ALTERNATIVE EXPECTATIONS.
A positive, clear journey is just as important, if not more important, than the final image.
After the meeting:
We send a detailed follow-up email recapping decisions, expectations, and actions.
We update OUR project management software to keep the entire internal team aligned.
No assumptions. No invisible decisions.
“Any ambiguity that needs immediate clarification.”
3. During Production: Communicate, Don’t Assume
Throughout production, we prioritise regular, meaningful communication, not just status updates.
That includes:
Flagging compromises and issues early
Using shared documents where needed (for comments, markups, references)
Keeping the client involved in key checkpoints rather than surprising them at the end
Having Studio Managers join for QC when appropriate to ensure:
The image supports the design intent
The output matches what was agreed in the brief and kick-off
This keeps everyone honest and reduces the temptation to let the visual “solve” design problems that haven’t actually been discussed.
““Design by visualisation” happens when process is weak and communication is fuzzy.”
4. Our Overall Workflow: A Simple Framework
We’ve boiled our process down to four stages:
Receive & Prepare → Align & Agree → Confirm → Protect & Deliver
R.A.C.P
Receive & Prepare
Win the project, update the brief and ClickUp, assign the team, and make initial contact with the client.
Align & Agree
Kick-off meeting, clarify intent, set expectations, identify gaps, define timelines and stakeholders.
Confirm
Follow-up email, shared understanding of milestones and deliverables, and cms fully updated.
Protect & Deliver
Ongoing communication, QC, flagging compromises, protecting intent, and delivering visuals that truly represent the design.
This isn’t about adding bureaucracy. It’s about reducing waste: wasted time, wasted effort, and wasted trust.
Why This Matters
“Design by visualisation” happens when the process is weak and communication is fuzzy.
By tightening the workflow and making relationships more collaborative and less transactional, we:
Reduce revisions
Protect the design narrative
Give clients a clearer, calmer journey
Produce images that are not just beautiful, but accurate and purposeful
Let’s Open This Up, Your Turn.
I’d love to hear from people on all sides of this:
Designers
Are you under pressure to hand things over earlier than you’d like?
What would help you feel more confident before visuals start?
Visualisation Artists
Where do you most often see gaps in information?
What part of this workflow resonates with your experience?
Clients
How important is the process to you versus just the final image?
Do you feel informed and involved?
Project Managers / AMs
How do you balance speed vs clarity in your own workflows?
Drop your thoughts in an email.
Tell me what’s working (or not) in your world.
If you’re a client and want to experience this workflow on your next project, let’s talk.
We’re always refining this approach, and real-world experiences help shape what comes next.
Contact us
Let's talk about you
Postal Address:
Do Digital Agency
Suite D, 2nd Floor, Castle House,
Cardiff Road, Taffs Well,
Cardiff, CF15 7RD
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