Identification may include
- explaining the meaning and purposes of a design contract with a client
- listing all components that may be included in a contract, such as
- names of parties
- costs/fees
- references to working documents
- schedules and/or timelines
- bonds
- responsibilities of each party
- restrictions on each party
- criteria for handling changes
- warranties
- cancellation conditions
- describing the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) three-day cooling-off rule
- citing the four main provisions of every valid and enforceable contract:
- Legality: legal product or service; no fraud or deception
- Competence: both parties mentally competent and of legal age
- Agreement: an offer and an acceptance
- Consideration: exchange of something of measurable value
Process/Skill Questions:
Thinking
- What are the components that should be included in every contract?
- How does the federal three-day right to cancel rule apply to design contracts?
- What are the consequences if the interior designer does not provide the client copies of the three-day right to cancel forms?
Communication
- What communication skills assist with understanding a contract?
- What communication strategies help a professional come to an understanding with a client about the important aspects of the design process?
- What communication skills assist with drafting a valid and enforceable contract?
Leadership
- What leadership skills or techniques assist with negotiating a contract with a client?
- How can a professional communicate effectively in a contract the elements of a design project?
Management
- What resources assist with the use of contracts in interior design work?
- What management techniques can assist in negotiating a contract with a client?
- What steps should be taken to be certain that the terms of a contract are followed throughout a design project?