Which role is most likely to assist occupants with completing forms and translating needs into space solutions?

• A. Facilities manager
• B. Architect
• C. Design professional
• D. Project estimator

Answer: (C)

Translating occupants’ needs into actual space solutions is done through programming and space planning handled by a design professional. They collect information from occupants—often via forms and questionnaires—to understand functions, workflows, equipment, and future needs, then convert that data into practical space layouts. This involves determining room sizes, adjacencies, circulation, and overall layout that meet requirements, codes, and constraints, guiding how the space will be arranged.

A facilities manager focuses on operating and maintaining spaces after they’re built, not on translating needs into designs. An architect or other design professional may contribute to the final design, but the step of eliciting requirements and turning them into a workable plan through programming is the core role of a design professional. A project estimator concentrates on cost, not the translation of needs into spatial solutions.