2.7.2. Client Interview

Client Interview

Name:

Phone:

Address:                  

Email:       

Property Size:   

Occupation:

Goals And Needs

What are the major goals you want to accomplish with a permaculture design on your site?  

What are the main things you feel a permaculture consultant can help you with? 

Please share some thoughts about your ideal lifestyle?

What do you envision will be the major uses of your land? 

Take a moment to envision what your land will look like and what you  will be doing in relation to it.  Please share goals, needs, values, & dreams you may have for this site in relation to:

•     Food production, processing and storage 
•        Water
•        Shelter
•       Energy use
•       Ecosystem regeneration
•     Soil management
•     Waste
•        Animals on site
•        Family
•        Educational uses
•        The arts
•        Spiritual or sacred space on site (if desired)
•         Health and recreation on site
•         Neighborhood and community interface
•     Economic
•     Other

Please share any major problems or challenges on the site (if you know of any) that you hope to address with this design (examples: flooding, access issues, bad soil, chemicals, noise, etc)? 

Other, more minor challenges? 

Any person challenges in regard to implementing the design? 

Limiting factors of project (site shaded or odd shape,  limited funding, limited time,  some residents oppose, etc)?

Resources - what are the greatest resources that can be used (existing tree system, volunteers, etc)?

What products are you seeking from your land (examples: food to feed family, income from farming, energy production, etc)?

What is most important for you to do first? What are your priorities?

What concerns might you have about implementing a permaculture design (examples: cost, difficulty maintaining, etc) 

What do you like most about your land?  Least? 

What is working well there already? 

Client Profile 

Lifestyle

Number of people living on site, ages and relationships?

Special requirements of people living there (allergies such as food, bee, pollen, dust; diet restrictions; health concerns, disabilities, etc.)?

Practical skills (of everyone living on the site)?

Hobbies (of all residents)?

How long do you plan to live at this site? 

Do you own or rent?  

What is the current use of your home and land?

What are your average utility (water, gas, electric) costs?

Animals living on site?

Any values/beliefs/ethics aspects you would like included in the design (vegan, religious observations, etc)?

Personal involvement

What amount of time do you have available for implementing the design?

Amount of time (weekly or monthly)?

What types of actions do you feel you would prefer to do yourself, and what do you prefer that others do?  

Are there things you prefer not to deal with at all? 

Stages of Design Implementation

What would be your optimum time-frame for the implementation of your design?

What elements of the anticipated design are most urgent for you?

What elements of the anticipated design are least urgent for you?

Any other considerations/thoughts about the sequence of implementation of the design?

Finance / Budget

What are your anticipated costs, including:

• initial design 
• design implementation
• on-going design management
• major or long term improvements such as buildings

When is funding available? Monthly roll out? Future funding expected?

When/how would you like to fund?  immediately, monthly, as it comes in, or? 

The Wish List (a more detailed version of your goals)

• Desired use of land (food, flowers, lawn, cash crop, animals, camping, etc)
• Would you like to make an income from this site?   If so, how (if you know  yet -  some examples: farming, animals, mushrooms, crafting, education, etc.)?
• Level of food self-reliance, present and future (see below checklist for specific foods you would like)?
• Do you want water self-sufficiency? Drinking water, irrigation, water storage , greywater, ponds? 
• Compost and nutrient cycling?
• Livestock, animals
• Structures: house (type of heat & cooling, greenhouse, shadehouse, shop, barn, chicken house, other outbuildings.)  Do you foresee a need to change existing structures? How would you like to change them? Do you see a need to construct additional structures? 
• Would you like to be energy self-sufficient?  Partially self-sufficient? 
• Utility areas  (clothes line, recycle, trash, wood, service equipment)?
• Vehicle preference and needs (car/truck/farm equipment/recreational equipment)?
• Lighting (paths, buildings)?
• Importance of Privacy (sight and sound)?
• Children’s special areas?
• Guest areas?
• Special use areas?
• Pets?
• Recreation?
• Wildlife enhancement?
• Wilderness?
• Future (family or employment changes expected)?

Economics

What are your economic aims for this design?

What forms of income (if any) do you anticipate might be generated from the site, such as:

• Products (list possibilities, e.g. eggs, speciality mushrooms, herb packs)?
• Activities (e.g. workshops, bed and breakfast, etc.)?

Are you part of any community exchange system, or would you be interested in such?

Describe local demand that may be relevant for produce, products or services from your site?

Food: Use, Production, Storage and Processing

Please complete the following table, listing by category the specific kinds of each primary food type that you currently consume (examples given in brackets, using common names for easy reference) and the average quantities you currently consume on a monthly basis. 

To give an idea of production requirements, please indicate your average production quantities on a monthly basis. Please use the following:

If you already eat this food type Y for yes, we already eat this food.

If you wish to in the future  type F for we would like to eat this in the future.

If you do not wish to at all type N for no thanks, we never want to eat this.