As an architect or engineer, responding to design issues is a core part of moving your design toward approval. Other disciplines are waiting on your input before they can move forward, and an unanswered remark can hold up an entire review cycle. Responding clearly and on time is one of the most direct ways you contribute to keeping the project on track.
For example, a structural engineer receives a coordination remark from the MEP team about a beam clashing with a duct run. They review it directly on the relevant drawing and respond with a confirmed design change, all within the same system.
When you respond to design issues consistently in Dalux Box:
- Your responses are documented in context, so no one can misread or overlook what you decided
- Other disciplines can progress their work as soon as you respond, without waiting for a follow-up
- You have a clear record of every issue you handled, in case questions arise later
- Open issues on your end stop blocking the approval of the full design package
Design issues and why they matter
A design issue is a structured remark that requires a specific response from you. It can come from another architect, an engineer in a different discipline, or a design manager coordinating all designs across the project. It is not just general feedback; it is a specific action item related to a particular drawing or model that needs to be addressed before the design can move forward.
The design review issue captures issues identified by design review participants. It includes data fields such as responsible, deadline, importance, discipline, and designer response to support progress tracking and reporting.
When issues are addressed clearly and on time, the whole team stays on the same page, approval processes move faster, and there is less chance of mistakes in later stages.
How to access your assigned issues
The quickest way to find your assigned issues is through the comment inbox, which shows all comments and issues assigned to you across the project.
Each issue links directly to its location on a drawing or in the model.
Filter comments by metadata and save these filters for future use.
Best practices for a good response
Before responding to any issue, consider its scope and intent. Check whether the remark affects other disciplines or only your own drawings. Check if the intent is clear enough to proceed, and determine whether your response needs a design change or just a written confirmation of the current intent.
Be specific
Review in context. State exactly what you confirmed, changed, or clarified. Avoid answers such as "noted" or "will update".
Respond to all assigned issues
Do not skip issues that seem minor. Incomplete responses delay approval of the full design package.
Treat resolution as design work
Issue handling is not just administrative overhead. It is an important part of creating a coordinated design that is ready for approval. As you work through your initial set of issues, you will gain a better understanding of the level of detail expected and how to phrase responses that are clear and consistent across different disciplines.
Read more
If you want a full walk through of the tasks related to the coordination process, read: Design coordination.
Summary
Once all your assigned issues are resolved, your design is ready to move toward the approval stage. Responding to issues consistently and with the right level of detail is what keeps the design package moving. It signals to the rest of the team that your discipline is aligned, coordinated, and ready for the next phase.
From here, the immediate next step is to confirm with your design manager that no issues remain open on your end, and that any design changes made in response to remarks are reflected in your latest uploaded files.
Best practice
- Start each day by reviewing your inbox to prioritize comments and required actions
- Communicate clearly and directly in all messages and updates
- When managing comments, use short subjects, detailed descriptions, and relevant markups with context
- Be proactive in design coordination and exchange early feedback with other architects and engineers
Remember to review the project manuals or consult your Dalux project manager to confirm the correct procedures for your specific project, as this guidance reflects our general best practices.