Use the client's vocabulary, not the architect's
Peña, Problem Seeking — Ch 4 — Communicating Between Architect and ClientDescription
Each side has its own specialized terminology, which can become a serious language barrier. The architect with experience in the client's building type must learn the client's language. Simple terms work best; the most widely understood ideas are the strongest ideas.
Why this exists
Residential clients aren't speaking the language of "fenestration" and "axial circulation." Translating the architect's vocabulary into the client's makes the program more accurate (because the client can confirm it) and more durable (because the client remembers it).
Categories
Source
Solver enforcement
Browsable only — the solver does not currently enforce this directive (no spec-level data to check against). This entry exists so the architect personas can cite it in conversation and the user can read what the rule says.
Related directives
- Common Areas at the Heart · Pattern 129
- Intimacy Gradient · Pattern 127
- Indoor Sunlight · Pattern 128
- Children's Realm · Pattern 137
- Sequence of Sitting Spaces · Pattern 142
Last reviewed 2026-05-14.