"(Situation & Task) Last year, I worked on a design project for a clothing shop in a heritage building downtown. The owner had some pretty wild ideas that I felt my design team could execute. These ideas included massive iron displays suspended from the ceiling and a rotating display case built into the floor. Partway into the project, issues around the store's structure arose, and we were not able to bring this clients' vision entirely to life while maintaining safety and keeping the structural integrity of the building. The client did not understand the recommendations made by our architect, and communication broke down quickly. (Action) I know that there is an emotional element to design, especially when working with entrepreneurs who live and breathe their businesses. I called a meeting between myself, the client, and our senior architect. We rendered some new drawings and presented three alternate options for the client. (Result) Ultimately, the client chose one of the alternate options but somewhat begrudgingly. I knew that the client was more disappointed than angry because everything that we presented made complete sense, and the issues were not the fault of anyone - they were simply due to the buildings' limitations. During this project, I learned a lot about conflict resolution, problem-solving, and the importance of outlining explicit expectations and potential roadblock from the beginning."
