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The Missing Middle: Where Projects Lose Momentum Between Strategy and Design
- Chris Froneman
- Apr 12
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 17
The earliest stages of a project are often filled with big ideas, planning logic, and market strategy. The later stages are defined by consultants, deadlines, and technical details.
But what about the middle? That space between the vision and the drawings — the phase where decisions still shape outcomes but often fall through the cracks.
It’s here that momentum gets lost.
It’s here that too many good ideas get diluted or dropped.
And it’s here that many projects could benefit from a different kind of design thinking.
What is the missing middle?
It’s the liminal zone between master planning and architectural delivery. It's too early for consultants, too late for big-picture strategy. Teams often move too fast here—or worse, stall completely while waiting for others to catch up.
This is where clarity matters most. It’s the phase where:
Form starts to take shape
Options multiply unnecessarily
Stakeholders begin to disengage
Ideas are vulnerable to compromise
How to protect momentum in the middle
Hold the story. Use narrative design thinking to maintain purpose between vision and execution. The big idea shouldn’t fade — it should evolve. Revisit the concept regularly, even as details emerge. Keep asking: does this decision support the original intent?
Filter the noise. Don’t jump on every suggestion. The middle phase attracts input from all directions — some helpful, some distracting. Use clarity tools like overlays, priority diagrams, and decision hierarchies to focus effort where it matters.
Design with translation in mind. As more voices join the process, clarity becomes a shared responsibility. Think ahead: how will this idea be explained in a meeting? Can it be visualised in a single diagram or one strong sentence? Design with communication in mind.
Stay involved. Concepts don’t protect themselves. Staying involved past the initial phase helps keep the thread intact—not to control the process but to guide it. Sometimes, one voice of continuity makes all the difference.
Good projects don’t just need good ideas. They need people who can hold the thread through the messy middle — and help it land on the other side.
The middle of a project is where momentum either builds or fades. If you’re working on a project that feels stuck or scattered — I’d love to help bring clarity back to the core idea.
#DesignLeadership #ConceptStrategy #ArchitectureThinking #UrbanDesign #ProjectMomentum #NarrativeDesign
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