When a Failed Project Becomes a Professional Lesson That Must Be Faced
"Budget sets the limits, user experience and sustainability set the direction."
In contemporary design practice, decisions are no longer driven purely by creative inspiration or aesthetic trends. Instead, designers must constantly balance economic constraints, user expectations, sustainability requirements, and practical feasibility. Based on her recent experience, Marielle Genet believes that budget remains the most powerful and immediate factor influencing the design process. However, the true value of a project only emerges when design thinking moves beyond the framework of “meeting requirements” to pursue long-term impact for clients and society.
Budget Is the Strongest Constraint, but Not the Only Guiding Principle
According to Marielle Genet, in most projects, budget is the factor that emerges earliest and has the most immediate impact on design decisions. Budget is not merely a limiting figure; it establishes the feasibility of the entire project, from its scale and material selection to construction methods and the extent to which technology can be applied.
In practice, budget often acts as a “prerequisite” for a project to move forward. It determines whether an idea can be translated into reality while requiring designers to continuously make trade-offs between aesthetics, functionality, and cost. From an overall perspective, this makes budget the most influential factor.
However, Marielle Genet emphasizes that the fact that budget is the “strongest” factor does not mean it determines the entire design direction. In many cases, budget simply establishes the boundaries, while the direction of the project is shaped by other factors, particularly user experience and sustainability.
In her view, user experience is increasingly becoming a measure of a project’s value. A design may be cost-effective, but if it fails to provide a positive experience, it can hardly be considered successful. Similarly, sustainability is no longer an optional “added value,” but is gradually becoming a guiding requirement that directly influences how a project is organized and operates over the long term.
Therefore, while the budget often establishes clear boundaries, user experience and sustainability ultimately determine the direction and value of the design. When considered as complementary factors, budget, experience, and sustainability do not compete with one another. Instead, they form a framework that enables designers to make more responsible and effective decisions.
From Meeting Requirements to Creating Long-Term Value
Marielle Genet believes that the fundamental difference between a project that “meets requirements” and one that “truly creates value” lies in the approach to the problem. A project that meets requirements typically focuses on completing the defined scope of work within the established budget and schedule. The emphasis is on the output-the final product delivered according to the agreed commitments.
By contrast, a value-creating project does not stop at “completion,” but focuses on outcomes and impact. Instead of simply asking, “What do we need to do?”, designers should ask, “What benefit will this bring?” to the client, users, and society in the long term. This shift from a compliance-oriented mindset to a strategic one is what creates the fundamental difference.
According to Marielle Genet, value-creating projects are often closely aligned with the client’s broader objectives. Design does not exist as an independent entity, but as part of an ecosystem of operations, business, and experience. When design is considered within this broader relationship, value comes not only from its appearance, but also from its ability to support clients in achieving their long-term goals.
Another important aspect is the project’s long-term impact. While projects that simply meet requirements tend to produce short-term outcomes, value-creating projects seek sustainable benefits. These include economic, social, and ethical impacts. For her, social responsibility is not an abstract concept, but something expressed through the way design affects people and the environment throughout the project’s lifecycle.
Ultimately, Marielle Genet emphasizes that true value emerges when clients are “activated” to create further value from what the project provides. Rather than simply receiving a completed product, clients become active participants in unlocking and developing that value. When design functions as a platform for growth, it moves beyond a transactional role and becomes a strategic tool.
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Marielle Genet + Lifestyle Connected
The Core Capabilities of the Next Generation of Designers
Looking ahead, Marielle Genet believes young designers will no longer be evaluated primarily on their degrees or personal styles. As the design industry evolves rapidly, these factors alone are no longer sufficient to ensure adaptability or the ability to create meaningful real-world impact.
According to her, the ability to understand and work with artificial intelligence has become a form of “foundational competency.” AI does not replace human creative thinking, but acts as an augmentation tool, enabling designers to work more efficiently, make decisions faster, and address complex problems with greater precision. A lack of AI literacy will become a clear disadvantage in the years ahead.
At the same time, an impact-oriented mindset will become a decisive factor. Rather than focusing primarily on creating forms or establishing a personal style, young designers need to learn how to evaluate the impact of their work on businesses, society, and the environment. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is also becoming increasingly important as projects require close coordination across multiple fields.
Marielle Genet also emphasizes the importance of initiative and adaptability. In an increasingly volatile environment, resilience, continuous learning, and a willingness to embrace change will enable designers to maintain their value over the long term.
In her view, the next generation of designers will thrive by combining human creative judgment with the efficiency enabled by technology. This combination allows them to address complex real-world challenges while developing thoughtful solutions that deliver lasting benefits to both clients and society.
Marielle Genet is the Creative Director & Founder of Lifestyle Connected, a design studio based in Ho Chi Minh City. With 17 years of experience in hospitality at Accor Group, working across countries including France, Brazil, Singapore, and Vietnam, she brings a strong international foundation to her design practice.
Marielle has contributed to and led numerous hospitality, office, commercial, and high-end residential projects in Vietnam and internationally, while collaborating with global brands across various sectors. Alongside her professional practice, she actively participates in community initiatives and mentors design students, pursuing a creative approach rooted in social value and long-term impact.
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