When working in the early design stages of a new project, it’s common for designers to present multiple variations to a client for approval. Traditionally, this has often been managed by creating separate models for each variation, but this quickly becomes complex and difficult to track.

The ‘Design Options’ feature in Revit solves this problem by allowing designers to store and manage variations within a single model. To access the tool, go to the ‘Manage’ tab and select the ‘Design Options’ icon. This will open the Design Options dialog box.

Within the dialog box, you’ll notice two key terms: ‘Option Set’ and ‘Option’. An Option Set is a container that groups together related design options. Under each Option Set, you can create multiple Options, with one designated as the ‘Primary option’. The primary option will be displayed by default in views and sheets, unless you choose to show a different option.

The image above shows how it can be used for stair design options. For the example I created an Option Set called “Stair Design” with several options: Dog-leg Stair, Undulating Stair, and Spiral Stair. By using the ‘Make Primary’ option, you can select which option is treated as the default. Once the preferred design is confirmed, choosing ‘Accept Primary’ will remove the other variations and keep only the selected primary option in the model.

When preparing presentation layouts for clients, you can control which design option appears in each view. Open ‘Visibility/Graphic Overrides’, and under the ‘Design Options’ tab, choose the option you want to display for that view. This makes it easy to set up side-by-side comparisons for client presentations.

This workflow is incredibly useful because it keeps all variations organised within one model. Designers can quickly test alternatives, present them clearly, and respond to client feedback — all while saving time and avoiding the confusion of multiple project files.

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