Design Process

Scope

Purpose: The Design Process turns a design request into costed development samples ready for a customer meeting. The designer builds the range plan, issues the Tech Pack (TP), and the factory Product Developer (PD) builds the Development Sample (DS). The process ends when each style carries a reviewed sample and an estimated cost.

Owner: DM.

Applies to: Designers, the Development Merchandiser, PD, the fabric sourcing team, the Sample Room Manager, and the Garment Technologist (GT).

Process

1. Designer — Classify the design request. Record which of the three request types applies before any range work starts.

   • Internal request: SpringNE leads the design independently.
   • External request: the customer sends a direct brief.
   • Joint design: SpringNE and the customer develop the collection together, with shared input.

2. Designer — Build the range plan. Cover key silhouettes, fabric types, materials, colours, and print directions in one plan.

   • Base an independent range on the internal trend boards, and keep it inside known customer demand.
   • Build a customer range from the boards the customer supplies.

3. Designer — Review the range plan. Hold the pre-review with the Development Merchandiser and the fabric sourcing team.

   • Agree a sampling plan that names a deadline and an owner for every style.
   • When the three roles do not align on a style, hold the style out of the sampling plan until the DM decides.

4. Designer — Brief the factories on the range plan. Walk the Development Merchandiser, the factories, and the PD through each individual style.

   • Resolve every unclear point before development starts. An open question at briefing becomes a wrong sample two weeks later.
   • For strong factories and Spring Near East Manufacturing, the UKO design team leads and copies TRO.
   • For weaker factories, the TRO team leads and copies the designers.

5. Designer — Create the tech pack and upload it. Load the TP into the CRM against the style record.

   • The CRM notifies the Merchandiser (MR) and the factory automatically. No separate email is needed.

6. Designer — Request three development samples per style. Order one DS for TRO, one for UKO, and one for the customer.

   • When sample room capacity limits the count, use the TRO sample for the UK presentation.

7. PD — Build the development samples. Every factory keeps a PD who manages development and material sourcing for its styles.

   • Use the customer block where one exists. Otherwise use the internal block.
   • The Sample Room Manager and the GT Manager decide the block and the pattern. Trial a complex style in available fabric first.
   • Expect up to 3 days when the fabric sits in stock, and up to 14 days when the fabric needs ordering. Sample room capacity, workload, style complexity, extra processes, and material availability all extend this.
   • Escalate any blocked development issue to the designer on the day it appears.

8. PD — Photograph each development sample. Follow Product Photography with Ring Light, then update the CRM.

   • Photograph the steamed sample on a wooden hanger against a plain white wall, and take a separate photograph of the tag.
   • Share the photographs with the Development Merchandiser and the designer.

9. Development Merchandiser — Review the samples. Review each DS at TRO, then forward it to UKO.

   • Fit the sample on a dummy and let GT review it before approval.
   • Return a sample that fails the review to the PD with the reason, and keep the style in the sampling plan.

10. Development Merchandiser — Add the estimated cost breakdown. Attach a cost breakdown to every style before the customer meeting, so the salesperson can align price in the room.

Workflow

Designer — Classify the design request

Designer — Build the range plan

Designer — Review the range plan

Designer — Brief the factories on the range plan

Designer — Create the tech pack and upload it

Tutorial

This training video supports the Design Process process. It does not replace the numbered steps.

Pending

Training video not linked yet

Admins will add a Microsoft Stream or SharePoint watch URL when the tutorial for Design Process is ready.

Exam

Pass mark	Expected duration	Attempts
80%	Admin will provide this soon	Admin will provide this soon

Pending

The exam is not published yet. Admins will add it here when the assessment is ready.

Changelog

Changelog

Date	Changed by	What changed
2026-09-21	Design Team	Article Added from SOP 3.0 Design Process, section 2.