The concept design is ‘big picture’ thinking without getting bogged down in technical detail. This stage of the process confirms the project requirements and allows the design team to brainstorm how the solution will address the needs of the project. During the concept design process, the more ideas and the less constrained one is by perceived technical limitations, the better – it is innovation without limits. Concept design generally takes place after feasibility studies and options appraisals have been carried out and a project brief has been prepared. The concept design represents the design team’s initial response to the project brief.

Some designers will differentiate between ‘concept design’ and ‘scheme design’. In this case, the ‘concept’ is the initial design idea, whereas the ‘scheme’ develops the concept, taking on board more functional and practical considerations. Most project plans have now combined these 2 steps into the single stage ‘concept design’, or ‘concept’.

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