Discovery
Project Technology Assessment for Integrators
See the example form HTA customizes for each participating integrator. Use it to make technology part of the project brief.
Open the PTA resourceCEDIA Expo 2026 companion resources
Get hired early.
Position your integration firm as a professional design-team consultant and earn paid early involvement through a Design Services Agreement.
Core course tools
Structure the early engagement.
Use these four resources to guide discovery, establish a preliminary budget, define the paid engagement, and make professional deliverables visible.
Professional standard
HTA Design Partner Definition
Review the Design Partner commitments and the design documentation defined in point 1.
Review the definitionDocumentation
Low-Voltage Design and Engineering Documentation
Review HTA's explanation of the documents that support professional technology design and cross-trade coordination.
Read the articleBudget guidance
Home Technology Installation Budget Tool
Use a structured planning tool to support an informed preliminary budget conversation before detailed engineering.
Open the budget toolBuild trade-partner relationships
Turn the strategy into conversations.
Use the audience-specific guidance below to approach architects, interior designers, builders, and remodelers as a useful design and planning resource.
Builders and remodelers
Top 9 Builder and Remodeler Marketing Tips
Use nine practical ideas to build mutually beneficial relationships and earn earlier involvement.
Read the builder tipsArchitects
Top 7 Architect Marketing Tips
Learn how to present your firm as a technology consultant and professional design resource.
Read the architect tipsInterior designers
Top 8 Interior Designer Marketing Tips
Build design-centered relationships and lead with disciplines that support aesthetics and design intent.
Read the designer tipsOngoing education
HTA Home + Tech Design News
Subscribe on LinkedIn for design-focused education, resources, and ideas to share with trade partners.
Subscribe on LinkedInWhy integrators are invited too late
The four-gap model
Close all four gaps to be engaged as a paid design-team consultant before the full system is ready to be proposed.
1
Breadth-of-services gap
They do not know the full range of systems you handle.Lead with the breadth of your consulting, design, engineering, and coordination capabilities.
2
Role-recognition gap
They see an installer, not a consultant.Change how you position the firm and how you enter the project.
3
Professional-trust gap
They do not yet see a repeatable design process.Demonstrate structured discovery, budget guidance, documentation, and coordination.
4
Commercial-engagement gap
They have no clear, low-risk way to hire you early.Offer a Design Services Agreement as the professional first engagement.
Make professionalism visible
Five signals of design-team readiness
The five signals are an internal readiness test for your company. The four-step process below is the client journey you use once your company is prepared to deliver professional design services.
1
Structured discovery
Understand priorities, spaces, systems, aesthetics, decision makers, and timing.
2
Early budget guidance
Give the client a credible preliminary range before detailed engineering.
3
Paid design engagement
Use a DSA to authorize professional design and coordination.
4
Professional documentation
Define and produce the appropriate design and engineering documents.
5
Design-team coordination
Participate, communicate, respond, review, and document decisions.
A repeatable client path
The four-step process
Discover scope
Use the PTA to identify needs and decisions that affect the entire design and construction team.
Establish a preliminary budget
Set a credible preliminary range so the client can make informed choices.
Present the DSA
Present the Design Services Agreement as the next professional step and define its scope and deliverables.
Get hired earlier
Begin paid design and coordination. Develop the full-system proposal after design defines the scope.
Put the model into practice.
Download the field guide and use the 30-day implementation plan with your team.
