Creating Design Goals
Capture and track the design objectives that define a successful project. Goals are visible to clients via the share link, keeping the brief front and center throughout the design process.
Creating Design GoalsThe Goals module turns a client brief into a structured checklist of design requirements. Each goal is either an Intent — a positive outcome the garden should achieve — or a Constraint — a condition that must be respected. Goals carry an Importance level (Must Have or Nice to Have) and a Review Status that you update as the design progresses, so you always know which requirements are satisfied and which still need work.
Open the Goals module from the sections menu — click the menu button at the top-left of the editor, then choose Goals. Use it alongside the Tasks and Cost sections to keep the design, the work schedule, and the budget all aligned with the original brief.
Add a goal
Click + Add Goal in the Goals panel header.
Fill in the goal form:
- Title (required) — a short, clear statement of the goal (e.g. "Create a low-maintenance garden", "Achieve RHS Greening Grey Britain targets")
- Description (optional) — a longer explanation of the goal, context from the client brief, or success criteria
- Category — tag the goal with one or more categories:
- Sustainability - Aesthetics - Functionality - Budget - Client Preference
- Status — set the initial status: Draft, Active, or Achieved
Click Save to add the goal to the panel.
Write goal titles as outcome statements — "Create year-round seasonal interest" is more useful than "Plants" as a title. Outcome-oriented goals make it easier to evaluate the design against the brief.
Update goal status
Each goal shows a status indicator:
- Draft — the goal is provisional and may still be refined
- Active — the goal is confirmed and being designed toward
- Achieved — the design has been confirmed to meet this goal
Click the status badge on any goal card to cycle through the three statuses, or click the goal to open the edit dialog and update the status from the dropdown.
Marking goals as Achieved during a client review is a powerful way to demonstrate progress and maintain momentum.
At each client review, walk through the goals and update Review Status. A board of Looks Good goals at the end of the project is a powerful way to demonstrate the design responds to the brief.
Reorder goals by priority
Goals in the panel are ordered by priority. The first goal in the list is considered the highest priority.
Drag a goal card up or down in the list to reorder priority. The order is saved automatically.
Reordering goals is useful before a client presentation — place the goals that are most central to the brief at the top so clients see them first.
Discuss goal priority with clients during early design reviews. Reordering goals in the panel after these conversations creates a shared record of which objectives matter most.
Goals visibility in client share link
When you share the project with a client via a share link (from the Share panel), the Goals panel is visible to the client in the shared view.
Clients can see all goals, their categories, statuses, and descriptions. They cannot edit goals in the shared view — the Goals panel is read-only for share link recipients.
This makes the Goals panel a useful communication tool: clients can see the design objectives alongside the design itself and understand how the design responds to the brief.
Before sharing a project link with a client, set all confirmed goals to Active status and mark any already-met goals as Achieved. This gives clients an accurate picture of where the design stands.
Link goals to drawing objects
Open a goal and, under Linked Drawing Objects, click Link Object to open the entity picker. Select one or more drawing objects — plants, hardscape shapes, structures, or any other entity — to attach them to the goal. Linked entities create a direct connection between a design requirement and the specific objects in the drawing that address it. Each linked object appears as a chip; click the chip to select that object and bring the canvas focus to it.
Filter and manage the goal list
Use the Filter button in the Goals header to narrow the list by theme, importance, review status, or type. Use the view-mode strip on the left to switch between Post-it Notes (color-coded cards by theme) and List View. To edit or delete an existing goal, click it to reopen the dialog — a Delete button with a confirmation step is available when editing.
Create goals at the start of a project during brief-taking, not at the end. Goals are most useful when they guide design decisions, not when they record decisions already made.
Use the Budget theme for cost-related goals and keep the Cost module open alongside so the financial target stays visible while you design. Linking a Budget goal to the cost view entity reinforces the connection.
The Delete button appears inside the goal dialog when editing an existing goal, and you are asked to confirm before the goal is removed. If you delete a goal by mistake, use the Undo button in the Goals header (or Ctrl+Z while the Goals view is focused) to restore it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an Intent and a Constraint?
An Intent describes a positive outcome the design should achieve — for example, "Create year-round seasonal interest". A Constraint describes something the design must respect or avoid — for example, "Preserve the sightline from the kitchen window". Keeping the two types separate makes it easier to check both ambitions and hard limits during review.
What is the difference between Importance and Review Status?
Importance describes how critical the goal is and is set once during brief-taking — Must Have goals are non-negotiable; Nice to Have goals can give way when scope or budget demands. Review Status is updated throughout the project to reflect whether the current design satisfies the goal: Not Reviewed, Looks Good, or Needs Attention.
Can I have several goals in the same theme?
Yes. There is no limit per theme — a single project might have several Privacy goals and several Maintenance goals. Themes organize and filter goals; they do not cap how many you can add.
How many goals should a project have?
There is no fixed limit. For a residential garden, 5 to 12 well-defined goals is a common range. Aim for goals that are specific enough to check against the design — too broad and they are always satisfied, too narrow and they become tasks rather than goals.
How many drawing objects can a goal link to?
There is no limit. A goal can link to as many objects as it needs — useful when a single requirement, such as low maintenance, spans several areas of the design. Each linked object is shown as its own chip, and you can remove any link with its × button.