"Conceptually challenged..."
The first step I took to begin developing concepts for the client's conference table was to layout a floor plan, side and end elevation views. Key to this approach was identifying the areas needed for "people" space and "structural support" space. In other words, find the areas of space that a table base could be built without the base being cumbersome to people sitting around the table.
With this in mind, several concepts were sorted through and the size constraints of the table became apparent. A for 4' wide by 8' long table, such as the client had planned, would seat 6 comfortably but not 8 as is anticipated. The plan view of the clients' conference room depicts a mock table seating 8. I presume that the client has planned seating 8 people without realizing the physical encroachment on the people sitting at the table. Their comfort level will be cropped. (Please note: most conference tables are built at the minimal size of 5' wide by 10' long for this very reason, at least if seating 8).
The size of the conference room allows little room for expanding the table. It's just large enough to accommodate a 4' by 8' table; so, up-sizing the length of the table is out of the question. An increased width of one foot will help matters, but only in terms of "stretching" out ones legs and not in terms of elbow room. Because of this constraint and the inability to expand the table size to compensate for it, the impact on design choices has resulted in a "narrowing down" of possible concepts. Also, coupled with size constraint is the client's tendency to favor simplicity and the use of metal for the base material. And the concept field narrows still more.
Consequently, the conceptual phase took a real blow in the last two days. At least 5 concepts were unique, "obviously" different from the status quo and well worth developing. All were explored and all eventually came to a grinding halt for various reasons. For the most part they either failed on the grounds of meeting a timely production schedule or seemed to conflict with the client's preference for metal usage. In other words, they were just not good concepts. HA!
Adding to the notion of running into several dead-ends conceptually, are two other factors unique to this particular endeavor. Factor in "long distance" first. The client is out of state and running across town or down the block to discuss possibilities is out of the question. This means presenting visual concepts to the client must take on some sort of order and there must be a "means" to present this "order" of ideas. Of course this seems to be easily dealt with via the use of the Internet. And it is, until such things like software and hardware failure. Heh, but, nothing stops a train from wrecking so why should this project get de-railed just cause... Well, couple computer charades with the conceptual dead-ends and it's conceivable to bundle the whole thing up nice and tidy and call it, sounds like, yes, I must say it, a train wreck waiting to happen!
Now, we all know every "good" designer knows the ebb and flow of creativity and all the painful nuisances that reek havoc with the undying, never ending "process". Without the "process" no "one" "good" design would exist, right? So, dynamic as all that is, is the very fact, that there is still one uglier monster which I so inadvertently skipped. We call it the "deadline" and in this case, Dec 1, 03 is just ever so close. No matter if it is suggested or demanded or self imposed the deadline always looms over a person like a pea soup fog when you're driving in the middle of the night, tired. The slower you go the less it bothers you until you start thinking of the guy who is driving like hell that could ram you in the back end of your car. So you speed up knowing it's a lot safer to nail someone in the back of their car just because you "think" you can stop quicker than that guy behind you. Say what? It's a difficult situation, a quandary if you stop and think about it.
Never the less, a day goes by and sleep makes it all look different. What looked like a train wreck yesterday, just seems a "little" foggy today. It depends on how you define "little" - wink, wink. It helps when you start grasping for straws and gasping for air at the same time. Anxiety does wonders to make a desperate situation worse until you can give it some rest. And with rest comes new concepts. New solutions to what seemed unfixable. And onward we should press whilst we can, lest ye brain go dead and all that fresh and anew is agone.