Untangling Terminology of Design in Process Industry CAPEX projects

Here’s what I encountered last week as an engineering consultant in the AEC sector in the process industry:

✅ Tuesday: I agreed on a “FEL 3 design with BIM LoD 300 for parts of the model” on a 9-figure CAPEX expansion in Latam.

✅ Wednesday morning: Coordinated the plan to “finish Schematic Design before moving up to Detailed Design and deliver a 30% design”.

✅ Wednesday afternoon: Planned with an international forestry firm to complete and review the “Basic Engineering” before transitioning to “Detailed Engineering.” stage.

✅ Later in the week: A top 5 pulp producer required design “up to Approved for Construction drawings.”

4 projects, 4 different naming conventions for design maturity.

I guess there are overlaps and common terms, but I´ve found it dangerous to make assumptions, especially on international projects.

The best solution I’ve found so far?

Ask these 3 questions from day one, before actually designing anything:

1️) Who will use this design?

2) What will they do with this design?

3) Can you show me an example of what you expect at the end of this stage?

These are really simple questions that spark debate and eventual alignment.

You want to answer them in the beginning, not at the end of the design process!

If you're leading a design project, these three questions will save time and prevent misunderstandings.

If you're hiring design work and these haven’t been discussed—pause and align before moving forward.

Have you faced similar challenges with design terminology? Please let me know what solutions you are using.