The Client Interview is a popular permaculture design tool. What key questions do you find yourself asking clients as a part of this process? How are the questions different when you’re designing for non-landbased designs?

 

Learn more about the client interview here.

Here is an example of a client interview.

Here is another example of a client interview.

 

 

 

Let’s hear from some CoLab members:

Aline VaMo

 

We have 2 client interviews that we share with our PDC students (in Spanish). Professionally, in our Design Studio La Casa Integral, we feel that most observations come under the “simple” triangle NRL (Needs, Resources, Limits). When we are actively accompanying clients in their own design process we also tend to engage them in “the 5 Why’s” dynamic.

Rakesh “Rootsman Rak” Brahmbri

 

I break my data gathering into 3 parts:

– What exists (land and resource survey).
– What the land wants (biodiversity/succession).
– What the caretakers of the land want.

In that order of priority. If the caretakers want something that is not in harmony with nature and are not willing to be flexible I do not take on the project.

For collecting information on the client’s needs I use PASE (or PASTE); DAFOR (or DAFORN); the permaculture flower. Ideally guided by sociocracy.