In the AEC/O industry, there are lots of dedicated project management software solutions tailored for the needs of general contractors, sub-contractors, and owner-operators. But in recent years, there has been a dearth of tools oriented around the needs of architects and interior designers. This was not always the case. Back in the 1990s and 2000s, many firms used custom and semi-custom solutions developed on database platforms like FileMaker Pro. But even those solutions didn’t capture the scope and features of today’s web-based AEC industry project management solutions.
That is starting to change, however. A new solution called VOLUM3 is produced by a medium-sized, award-winning Zagreb-based architecture firm. And yet another is Australian-based Programa.
Programa
Launched in 2020, Programa was founded by Traviss Orr, Zoe Lowres, and Claudio Oyarce and is aimed at helping interior designers and architects focus on the more creative aspects of running their practice by eliminating what the company calls “archaic processes.” This is about doing away with countless spreadsheets and other outdated modes of project management.
Programa’s Web Clipper tool is impressive.
Programa brings together project, process, and product data into a single platform. The software was featured in “Vogue Living: Beautiful Software for Interior Designers.” Some killer features it includes are its proprietary Web Clipper, which will import interiors or building project information from any supplier’s website into Programa’s schedules in seconds. Then an interior designer or architect can easily share that data with tradespeople via the project’s unique QR codes. (you can try this feature out by scanning the QR code in the image below.
This QR code will take you to a mobile view of Programa.
When you clip product data from a web page, Programa’s user interface asks you to select a project and then a schedule from a series of drop-down menus. The process appears remarkably seamless and streamlined, with a mixture of auto-generated/auto-assigned data fields and a very quick process of assigning data fields to specific data on the web page, and then it fills in automatically. The web clipper tool is truly impressive and wholly unique in the industry.
Full Features
Programa’s features include a suite of tools for Specifications, Schedules, Instant Product Import, Web Clipper (as already discussed), Presentation Tools, Mood Boards, Client Approvals, Client Dashboards, Invoicing, Studio Management, Product Library, and Project Management.
Under that last one, Programa users benefit from managing To-Do tasks across Kanban-style To-Do task cards, List view, and Timeline view modes. You can assign To-Do tasks to specific staff members, projects, project phases, and set their due dates and status. Kanban-style tools are highly effective and give staff members and managers an overview of work in front of them, and help contribute to a firm-wide, mission-oriented focus. Gantt chart-style timelines help show tasks and sub-tasks. Back to Kanban for a moment. Programa lets you drag the cards in the Kanban view from column to column.
Programa’s project management tools feature a working Kanban-style board for task assignment and management.
Programa also features filters to help you see specific views of the To-Do data, including by person, by status, by project, etc. In the Timeline view, you have yearly views, quarter views, and monthly and weekly views.
Programa also has a timecard management system and stopwatch function that can be turned on when a staff member is working on a particular To-Do item.
The specification tools are highly oriented to the needs of interior designers, but can work very well for architects who are also specifying items like plumbing fixtures or any other type of building product. One of the great features of Programa is the Product Library, where products that a firm specifies, often from project to project, can be stored. Invoicing is another feature more applicable to interior designers who obtain trade discounts on items like fixtures, lighting, and furniture, and then apply a markup to those items and charge the client that price.
Programa is aimed at eliminating the use of spreadsheets for managing common practice techniques, from juggling product selections, materials, and room schedules, project tasks assignments, etc.
Interior designers and architects can try Programa for free by clicking here.
Programa is a SaaS system and works through the web and on mobile and plans start with three users for 47.20 USD per user/per month (with annual plan) or you can pay monthly at 59 USD per user/per month.
To learn more, visit them online here.
Architosh Analysis and Commentary
We have not yet spoken to this software company, but we will seek to do so in 2026. As we said at the top of the article, there are many tools in AEC focused more on the needs of the construction professionals then on the needs of the design professionals. Just think of Procore in the United States as a prime example.
Programa’s Web Clipper technology and ability to centralize and organize product specification data is a huge time-saver and can help designers centrally manage key product information they return to again and again. We haven’t tried this tool out yet, but the videos and information on the website look impressive, as do the many customer testimonials. We are thrilled to see Programa out there and look forward to seeing it grow.
