From my 15 years of experience and dealt with 500+ architects and designers I have seen a very few who really know how to do it like a PRO. As a designer it is our duty to transfer your vision to the artist mind. If we lack here the same way it lacks in the final output. Briefing is the greatest tool to do that. This article and its collections will help you understand how to brief the artist like a PRO.
Speaking the 3d Artist language is the key.
If you want to a wooden flooring in your project, stating "put wooden flooring" wont really help, since there are a lot of shades & patterns. A slightly smarter designer will give a reference image from the internet. I agree this helps, but there is a hiccup.
The artist puts a similar material, send you the rough render and you think why it doesn't look the same like it was in the image. Because there is definitely a difference between the way you see and the artist sees the same flooring. To be more precise you can send add the exact material you need from the material library. There are quite a few in the market.
Doing this will help you both architects and artists stay on the same page. The same procedure works for furniture/lights model as-well.
As a continuation to this article I will write all the steps you need to know. Later sometime.