IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2015 - 5

From IIDA

There isn't a person, place, organization or cultural moment that hasn't felt the
influence of Design. Design, perhaps better than any other profession, influences
the world around us-exerting a force that is social, economic, cultural, and,
of course, creative.
As a noun, "influence" is all about impacting behavior. As a verb, it's about guiding,
shaping, and affecting. In either case, it most certainly pertains to power, authority
and leverage. As a profession we know that influence is a balancing act - inciting
and influencing change while embracing and leveraging the results of that change.

Scott Hierlinger
IIDA, LEED AP
2015-2016 President

Cheryl S. Durst
Hon. FIIDA, LEED AP, IIDA
Executive Vice President/CEO.

But as much as the profession of Design is about change agency-we are Agents
of Influence-designers need to be flexible enough to see the value of outside
influences and tools, while maintaining the strength of their convictions and
trusting their design instincts. As an industry, we are leaving a lot on the table as
our collective stock continues to rise in organizations. Many companies (and clients)
have a knee-jerk reaction to become "design-centric" without knowing what that
really means-but convinced that it just "sounds right." That leaves design
professionals with the added task of cleaning up the problems of well-meaning
clients, which is icky, sticky and expensive. Designers can be branded as "costly"
and not everyone likes having their "trend-intentioned" problems identified and
fixed. Design then becomes a tactical effort, targeting short-term deliverables, rather
than strategically addressing long-term issues directed toward better business
and marketplace results.
IIDA Members are now working in 58 countries, and in this issue, we look closely at
how they're influencing design, design processes, and the perceived value of design
on a global scale. We observe how that influence is manifesting in retail/malls/
lifestyle centers, which vary distinctly from country to country, widely influenced
by different cultures and social practices. Our roundtable this issue examines
international practice and found repeatedly that our members are encouraging
coworkers and clients to "question the norm"-both in the United States and abroad.
"Point/Counterpoint" examines ways of working, both new and old, and how we're
questioning those methods. And in "The Innovation Insurrection," we can see
designers are open to being influenced. As an industry we are embracing approaches
and ways of working that have succeeded in advertising, tech companies, and in
healthcare-and seeing the value of disruption while understanding the
everlasting value of what design will always mean to human beings.
Like Design, influence doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's a force that possesses the
beautiful symmetry of cause and effect. IIDA thanks you for your influence on our
organization and encourages you to both show and share the influence of Design
with clients and the public.

The Commercial Interior Design Association
Perspective is the journal of the International Interior Design Association © 2014
Please recycle this
journal or pass it on
to a client, colleague,
or design student.

International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
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PERSPECTIVE

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2015
