Explore our latest ‘Made with Programa’ feature as Alessandra Smith Design discusses the Kazoo House project, detailing the workflow, challenges, and how Programa streamlined the overall process.
Alessandra Smith Design
Made with Programa
Melbourne, Australia2024-12-10
“I was still getting my head around how to run a business… So I definitely felt like I needed some sort of solution that would let me dedicate more time to marketing.”
Alessandra SmithPrincipal Designer
Alessandra Smith left her pharmacy career for a life in interiors—and stumbled straight into spreadsheet chaos. She juggled budgets, specs, and emails in disconnected apps, often losing time to manual data entry. Since adopting Programa, she now coordinates eight projects at once, stays on top of heritage details, and still has bandwidth to grow her Melbourne-based studio.
Alessandra’s niche is preserving historical character while adding modern functionality. Early on, she tracked product specs across multiple spreadsheets, which often led to errors. Programa changed that. Now, budgets, schedules, and client communication come together in one system, freeing her to focus on design.
“It’s an extension of my brand. The back end of my business feels as put-together as my client-facing work.”
Alessandra SmithPrincipal Designer
“Programa…lets me see the status of each piece, what needs to be ordered, when things are going to be delivered. It has all of that vital information in one place.”
Alessandra SmithPrincipal Designer
Kazoo House: Programa in Action
This 1920s renovation required careful attention to heritage details. Alessandra relied on these core Programa features to keep it all under control:
- Schedules, Specifications & Budgets
Alessandra logged custom joinery specs, lead times, and upholstery options in one place. Costs auto-updated, keeping her budget forecasts on target. - Web Clipper
Browsing a supplier’s site? She clips specs, finishes, and prices into her schedule. No more re-typing or guessing. - Client Dashboards
Clients view fee proposals, approve finishes, and see real-time updates in one link. In Kazoo House, Alessandra cut emails by half. Contractors scanned QR codes to confirm specs on-site. - Time Tracking & Project Management
Alessandra logs her SketchUp hours and phone calls for accurate quotes and scheduling. She groups tasks by phase (Briefing, Concept, Procurement & Delivery) so nothing slips through the cracks. Programa’s Project Management offers three views to track tasks, phases, timelines, and her entire pipeline—crucial for forecasting.
“When I saw how effectively the Web Clipping tool could take information from suppliers’ websites…I was immediately sold.”
Alessandra SmithPrincipal Designer
The Results
- 80% fewer spreadsheets: Budgets and schedules update automatically.
- 50% faster approvals: Clients review and sign off in the dashboard.
- Scalability: Juggling eight projects feels manageable because everything’s in one place.
Because everything is in one platform, Alessandra can check the status of deliveries, budgets, or tasks without hunting down files. She says it’s removed much of the panic that comes from last-minute updates and changes.
“As a solo designer, the timeline view is huge. I can see gaps in my workload and know when to focus on marketing or onboarding.”
Alessandra SmithPrincipal Designer
Tips for Solo Designers
- Keep all your product details in one system—no more toggling between scattered sheets.
- Let clients approve items inside a dashboard to save on back-and-forth emails.
- Track your hours to make quotes more accurate and highlight where you might need extra help.
Alessandra now runs eight projects at once and feels confident about taking on more. By bringing schedules, budgets, and client communication into one place, she’s gained the clarity and efficiency every solo designer needs.
