Why We Created the ISA™ 10-Step Process (And Why It Works)

Architecture often looks effortless once it’s finished. What you don’t see is how easily projects unravel without a clear, disciplined process guiding every decision.

The ISA™ 10-Step Process wasn’t created to sound impressive — it was built in response to real projects, real risks, and real mistakes we saw across the industry. Here’s why we created it, and why it consistently delivers better outcomes.

Many practices lead with aesthetic. The problem is that style alone doesn’t protect a project when budgets tighten, timelines shift, or construction realities emerge.

Without a robust process, decisions become reactive. Design intent gets diluted, clarity disappears, and clients are left managing stress they never anticipated. We created our process to prevent that from happening.

Before formalising the ISA™ 10-Step Process, we repeatedly encountered the same industry issues: vague briefs, rushed concepts, unresolved details, and drawings that left too much open to interpretation.

These gaps don’t just affect architecture — they affect cost control, build quality, and client confidence. The process was designed to close those gaps methodically.

The core idea behind our 10-step framework is sequencing. Each step exists to resolve a specific set of questions before moving on to the next.

This prevents premature decisions and avoids the common trap of refining details before the fundamentals are truly resolved.

One of the biggest advantages of a structured process is front-loaded clarity. Site constraints, planning controls, spatial priorities, and budget realities are addressed early — not discovered mid-project.

This approach dramatically reduces redesign, cost escalation, and frustration for everyone involved.

In the ISA™ process, design evolves deliberately. Concept design establishes logic and intent. Design development strengthens that intent. Documentation protects it.

Nothing is rushed forward for the sake of momentum. Progress is measured by resolution, not speed.

Many design failures occur because construction realities are treated as a later problem. Our process integrates buildability checks well before documentation is complete.

This ensures what’s designed can actually be built — without compromising intent or forcing last-minute changes.

A hidden cost of poor process is decision fatigue. When everything feels urgent and unresolved, clients are forced into rushed choices.

The ISA™ 10-Step Process structures decisions so they occur at the right time, with the right information, and with clear implications.

Whether we’re working on a complex residential project or a large-scale commercial brief, the same principles apply. The process adapts, but the discipline remains.

This consistency is what allows us to deliver reliable outcomes — regardless of scale or complexity.

The ISA™ 10-Step Process works because it mirrors how buildings are actually realised — not how they’re marketed.

It accounts for uncertainty, manages risk, and ensures that design quality is not sacrificed when pressure inevitably appears.

No. It’s structured, not inflexible. Each step can adapt to suit the project, but the sequence remains intentional.

In practice, it saves time by preventing redesign, confusion, and construction delays.

Skipping steps usually creates problems later. Each step exists because we’ve seen what happens when it’s missing.

No. The principles apply at any scale — the depth of each step simply adjusts to suit the project.

You gain clarity, reduced risk, and confidence that decisions are made deliberately — not reactively.

The ISA™ 10-Step Process wasn’t designed to impress — it was designed to work. It reflects hard-earned experience and a commitment to delivering architecture that holds together under real-world pressure.

Good outcomes aren’t accidental. They’re the result of a process that respects every stage — and that’s exactly why we built ours.