Studio method

Our design
process

Wondering what happens after you say yes?

Our process isn’t a checklist, it’s the thinking behind everything we make.

A way we work across every project and product

Strategy, Design, Build and Deliver.

Chloe Starks reviewing sketchbook in studio
01

Strategy

Understanding before anything is drawn
Define the problem clearly and everything that follows becomes easier

Before a line is drawn, we need to understand what the product actually has to do — who it is for, where it lives, how it gets made, and what success looks like. This stage is about asking the right questions and listening carefully to the answers.

Good strategy means less rework, fewer surprises, and a brief that everyone believes in before the design starts.

What happens here
Brief intake and alignment
User and context research
Constraints and requirements mapping
Competitive and market review
Design direction sign-off
02

Design

From concept to resolved outcome
Exploring, iterating, and narrowing until the right answer becomes obvious

This is where ideas are generated and tested. Concepts are sketched, refined, and presented with honesty — what works and why, what doesn’t and why not. Nothing moves forward without a clear reason behind it.

The goal isn’t to produce the most options, it’s to arrive at the most considered one.

What happens here
Concept exploration and sketching
Material and finish references
Mood boards and visual direction
Design development and iteration
Client review and sign-off
03

Build

Design that survives contact with production
Drawn well enough that a maker can follow it without guessing

Seven years across manufacturers means the technical drawings I produce are grounded in how things are actually made. This stage bridges the gap between a design decision and a shop floor instruction — clearly, precisely, and without ambiguity.

I work closely with makers throughout, so issues are resolved early rather than discovered on site.

What happens here
Technical drawings and specifications
Material and component schedules
Manufacturer liaison
Sample and prototype review
Production problem-solving
04

Deliver

Seen through to the end
A project isn’t finished when the drawings are sent

Delivery isn’t a handover moment, it’s the last mile of a long process. What arrives on site should match what was intended. I stay close enough throughout that it usually does.

Sign-off only happens when the outcome is right — not just when the deadline arrives.

What happens here
Installation oversight
Quality and snagging review
Final sign-off
Handover documentation
Post-delivery support