For Interior Designers ·
What you'll accomplish
Three weeks into a job, you ask a quick question and have to re-explain the whole brief: who the clients are, the style words, the must-keeps, the budget range. After this setup, each client job gets its own ChatGPT Project holding the design brief and a short set of standing instructions, so every new chat inside it starts already knowing the job. Your clients' names stay out of it. The project carries a code name instead.
What you'll need
Before you upload anything. Open ChatGPT's settings and look for the data controls, which govern whether your conversations can be used to improve OpenAI's models and how long chats are kept. A free or consumer plan may use chats for training unless that setting is off, so read your own screen. Then clean the brief: replace the client's name with a project code such as "Maple Street", delete the street address and phone numbers, drop any mention of security systems, travel plans or valuables, and keep money as a loose range or leave it out. Do not upload floor plans that show the address, and no photos showing people, house numbers or alarm panels. Commercial work under an NDA follows the NDA's terms, not your preference.
What you should see: A brief of one to two pages with no way to identify the household. Troubleshooting: If the brief mentions children's names or schools, remove them. "Two children under ten" is enough.
What you should see: A project page with a place for instructions and for files, and a list of chats. Troubleshooting: The wording and location of these controls vary by plan and app version. If you cannot find "Projects", check the account menu and ChatGPT's help pages for what your plan includes.
Look in the project settings for a field for instructions or "project instructions." Paste something like this and adjust it.
You are an assistant to an interior designer. This project is a residential job with the code name [Project code]. Use the brief file as the source of truth for the clients' needs, style and must-keeps.
Rules:
- Do not guess dimensions, colors, prices, lead times or product details. If I have not provided them, say so and ask.
- When I ask for ideas, label them as options for discussion, not decisions.
- Never state a building code, accessibility rule or fire rating as fact. Flag any such question for me to check with the architect or code official.
- Keep answers short. Use lists when I ask for options.
What you should see: The instructions saved on the project. Troubleshooting: If you cannot find an instructions field, put the same text at the top of the brief file and tell ChatGPT in the first chat to follow it.
What you should see: The file listed with the project. Troubleshooting: If file upload is limited on your plan, paste the brief into the first chat instead.
What you should see: Chats that refer to the brief without you repeating it. Troubleshooting: ChatGPT's memory of earlier chats in the same project can vary. If it forgets a decision, paste the decision into your first message.
What you should see: A project removed from your sidebar. Troubleshooting: Deleting from the app may not remove content immediately. Read ChatGPT's data retention notes for your plan.
Style summary
From the brief, write a five-line summary of the clients' style words that I can read aloud at a concept meeting. Use only the brief's wording.
Options for discussion
Give me three directions for the layout of this room described in words only. I will draw the plans myself. Label each as an option, note what each trades off, and do not give any dimensions.
Meeting recap
Here are my notes from today's call: [notes]. Write a short recap I can send to [Client] with the decisions made, the open questions and who owns each.
Brief gap check
What is missing or contradictory in the brief? List items to confirm with the clients.