Words that build: See your writing as a navigational aid so your design intent clearly comes through to your client.

ArchNewsNow - Editor’s note: This is the fourth of an exclusive series by Norman Weinstein focusing on the overlooked foundation of architecture: oral and written communication.

Here’s an exercise for the bold: let yourself stare at a blank page upon which you’ll write a summary of your design intention for a client. Be aware of your trepidation. If you feel nothing but blankness, consider how much of your livelihood is dependent upon your ability to explain your plan. That might induce a distinct feeling of unease. But the purpose of this exercise is not to introduce unnecessary anxiety into your sufficiently anxious work life. This is a preface to learning how to re-think how you and your client view your writing.

Your design writing for a client is like a map to a strange city, or like the experience of finding yourself lost in a strange new city itself. One way to get your bearings is to follow the sage guidelines established by urban planner Kevin Lynch and look to guiding signposts: paths, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks.

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JJ is the co-founder of 5ft Creatives and he is now a legal alien in the USA