I’d like to take this time to reflect on the legislative work we’ve accomplished in the past year and present our direction for the upcoming board year. IDC-Oregon made progress in our efforts to develop a greater awareness and understanding of the interior design profession in terms of legislation. We collaborated with IIDA on two important legislative forums as well as attended monthly board member legislative round table discussions.
The guest speaker for IIDA’s August forum was Dr. Mike Stinziano, national legal council for IIDA. Dr. Stinziano spoke about IIDA National’s Government and Regulatory Affairs purpose and policies for securing legislation for interior designers in each state. He presented what’s at stake and why legislation is important for the interior design profession in an honest and fair light and reminded everyone that all politics are local. He explained the purpose of interior design legislation is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public and he shared information about the various organizations opposing legislation.
Opposition is not uncommon in any legislative effort and our situation is not unique. Opposition appears to arise mainly from fear, lack of communication, and the inability or interest to read legislative bills thoroughly and thoughtfully. Fear of legislation is a common response from designers who have been practicing for a long time and are concerned their ability to practice design or call themselves an interior designer may be in jeopardy. One of the main questions surfacing from Dr. Stinziano’s presentation was what does the issue of health, safety, welfare really mean?
Responding to this interest in the impact of our work on the health, safety, welfare of the public, IDC-Oregon in collaboration with IIDA invited Dr. Denise Guerin to speak about how the health, safety, and welfare of the public is directly related to the work we do. Dr. Guerin presented a two-hour, .02 CEU session defining these terms, providing specific examples, and leading the audience through an exercise to develop a clear understanding of how professional interior design contributes to health, safety, welfare and provides substantial value to people’s lives. The exercise involved identifying solutions for design problems encountered for a particular client, project, building type, and end user. Participants were asked to write one example of a design solution in which our knowledge was drawn upon to protect people’s health. This exercise was repeated for safety and again for welfare.
This exercise was no simple task. It required reflecting and thinking deeply to provide real evidence from our practice that we protect people’s health, safety, and welfare. This exercise related to learning in interior design education, experience or examination. Dr. Guerin’s point was well made: As socially responsible interior designers it is incumbent upon us to engage and practice at a deeper level providing evidence-based design for the work we do.
A recent article in Perspective Magazine (Summer, 2008) entitled Designers are Motivators addresses the impact our work has on health, safety, and welfare. In this issue designers are encouraged to enter into a dialogue with their clients about ways design can create safer, healthier environments. The author, Jan Stone, speaks to the responsibility of interior designers to create environments that encourage physical activity and a healthier lifestyle. As Michael I. Goran, Ph.D. states in the article; “Designers have a unique opportunity to address the obesity problem through identifying and creating aspects of the workplace, homes, schools, and urban and community plans that promote a healthier lifestyle” (p. 29). Stone is intrigued about whether something as simple as a well-placed stair could be a solution for convincing people to walk rather than use an elevator. She acknowledges that well placed stairs are not the solution to reversing obesity however she notes, “From creating collaborative work environments that encourage constant movement to allowing for plentiful daylight access, interior designers can have a direct positive impact on public health and well-being” (p. 29).
The work of interior designers affects many people and we have a responsibility to understand the benefits of designing an environment that is supportive, gets people moving, and provides a richer experience throughout. Research has produced evidence that the work of interior designers can have a positive impact on the health of people. Craig Zimring, Ph.D. states “Change brought on by interior designers can’t happen fast enough, especially considering the CDC obesity map” (p. 32). This change requires interior designers to be aware of the evidence that links design to health and behavior outcomes (p. 32).
Legislation of the interior design profession entails much more than meets the eye. It requires a commitment to 1) unification by defining who we are, 2) requiring specialized knowledge of the profession though education, and 3) being thoughtful of practicing evidence-based design.
IDC-Oregon is committed to elevating awareness of legislation for the profession through educational forums that continue to raise the knowledge level of entry-level design professionals and advancing the knowledge and growth of practicing professionals in 2009 and beyond.
Please join our growing membership to define and shape the future of the interior design profession.
Sincerely,
Peg Suzio, Past President IDC-Oregon
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Collaboration Newsletter - Interior Design Titling
I would like to update everyone on national legislative efforts underway on IIDA, ASID, NKBA, and NWSID’s behalf. In particular, Caren Martin, Ph.D. has produced a wonderful response to an article titled Designing Cartels: How Industry Insiders Cut Out Competition, a report that examines Interior Design Titling. While I will not present details of the Designing Cartels article, I believe Martin’s response is a wealth of information relevant to our interest in securing a Professional Status of the Interior Design Profession.
Martin's response in the article, perhaps inadvertently, draws attention to the “confusion that exists in the public realm about the title 'Interior Designer'" thus observing that the authors of the rebutted report don’t understand the difference between 'interior designer' and 'interior decorator'. She feels that given this widespread public disconnect it is even more pressing for the interior design profession to demonstrate their value with respect to the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
Martin writes, “One characteristic of a profession is regulation of its practice”. Regulating a profession requires engaging in a legislative process that is both extensive and complex. It “relies on a broad basis of input from all stake holders and is successful when all parties have negotiated to secure the best outcome for the public”. Martin acknowledges efforts for pursuing legislation encompass gathering sponsors and educating legislators prior to the introduction of the legislation. Therefore it is particularly important for the Interior Design community to work together, and with legislators, to make the case that there is a compelling public reason for regulating their practice. Currently there are 26 other states, including The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and all eight Canadian Provinces with interior design legislation in place to protect the health, safety and welfare of their citizens. To learn more about states and provinces with legislation regulations go to: IIDA Advocacy
Beyond addressing consumer protection, legislation may serve to qualify and define other essential professional elements of interior design practice, as it has for over 8,400* professions regulated in the United States today.
Martin’s analysis of the data presented in the Designing Cartel article concludes a measure for success which interior design legislation campaigns need: education, examination, and experience. For interior design this includes 1) identifying the relationship of interior design with the health, safety, and welfare of the public, 2) provision for a formal education, and 3) monitored experience in the field.
Checking IDC-Oregon's efforts against Martin’s sense for interior design legislation across the country is one way to gauge our efforts are staying focused on the same issue - Defining the Profession.
In the next legislative corner I will be writing about Denise Guerin and Caren Martin’s publication The Interior Design Profession’s Body of Knowledge. This work talks about the importance of developing a specific body of knowledge necessary to define and support a profession whose work is considered *“reliable and of high value”. Read and download the 230 pages at: http://www.careersininteriordesign.com/idbok.pdf
Sincerely,
Peg Suzio, Past President IDC-Oregon
To read *Martin’s publication go to: https://netfiles.umn.edu/users/cmartin/Martin%20IJ%20Rebuttal
To read Designing Cartels report go to: http://www.ij.org/publications/other/designing-cartels.html
Martin's response in the article, perhaps inadvertently, draws attention to the “confusion that exists in the public realm about the title 'Interior Designer'" thus observing that the authors of the rebutted report don’t understand the difference between 'interior designer' and 'interior decorator'. She feels that given this widespread public disconnect it is even more pressing for the interior design profession to demonstrate their value with respect to the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
Martin writes, “One characteristic of a profession is regulation of its practice”. Regulating a profession requires engaging in a legislative process that is both extensive and complex. It “relies on a broad basis of input from all stake holders and is successful when all parties have negotiated to secure the best outcome for the public”. Martin acknowledges efforts for pursuing legislation encompass gathering sponsors and educating legislators prior to the introduction of the legislation. Therefore it is particularly important for the Interior Design community to work together, and with legislators, to make the case that there is a compelling public reason for regulating their practice. Currently there are 26 other states, including The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and all eight Canadian Provinces with interior design legislation in place to protect the health, safety and welfare of their citizens. To learn more about states and provinces with legislation regulations go to: IIDA Advocacy
Beyond addressing consumer protection, legislation may serve to qualify and define other essential professional elements of interior design practice, as it has for over 8,400* professions regulated in the United States today.
Martin’s analysis of the data presented in the Designing Cartel article concludes a measure for success which interior design legislation campaigns need: education, examination, and experience. For interior design this includes 1) identifying the relationship of interior design with the health, safety, and welfare of the public, 2) provision for a formal education, and 3) monitored experience in the field.
Checking IDC-Oregon's efforts against Martin’s sense for interior design legislation across the country is one way to gauge our efforts are staying focused on the same issue - Defining the Profession.
In the next legislative corner I will be writing about Denise Guerin and Caren Martin’s publication The Interior Design Profession’s Body of Knowledge. This work talks about the importance of developing a specific body of knowledge necessary to define and support a profession whose work is considered *“reliable and of high value”. Read and download the 230 pages at: http://www.careersininteriordesign.com/idbok.pdf
Sincerely,
Peg Suzio, Past President IDC-Oregon
To read *Martin’s publication go to: https://netfiles.umn.edu/users/cmartin/Martin%20IJ%20Rebuttal
To read Designing Cartels report go to: http://www.ij.org/publications/other/designing-cartels.html
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