Roundtable

In order to further consult the interior design industry, two Interior Design Roundtable meetings were convened in February and July, 2011. Consisting of prominent interior design educators, practitioners and policy makers, the first Roundtable meeting, held in February, helped define the parameters of the education and industry surveys, while a second Roundtable meeting, held in July, looked at the results from the two surveys and made recommendations on ways to enhance the interior design profession in Hong Kong.

Roundtable members agree that while at present, interior deign education in Hong Kong is not standardized, there is no effective way to make curriculum uniform across the board because there are simply too many institutions, each with its own academic goals and direction. On the industry side, the Roundtable notes that although only 51% favour registration for interior designers, a further 31% are neutral about registration. These practitioners are unsure of the procedures for registration and the criteria to be used to judge eligible interior designers. While Roundtable members agree that registration is both desirable and necessary, they think that it will likely be a long, multi-step process that may take years to accomplish. The first step towards the goal of registration may be to define the parameters of the profession by means of a professional guideline. Similar to the body of knowledge that the interior design profession in the United States and Europe have devised, this professional guideline will reflect the current state of the profession as it is practiced in Hong Kong.

While based on the body of knowledge from internationally recognized sources, the Hong Kong interior design professional guideline will take into account local practices and conditions, and clearly delineate the responsibilities and knowledge areas of Hong Kong interior designers. The professional guideline will set an objective standard by which interior designers’ knowledge and abilities can be measured, and will form the basis for any future professional examination. This examination will be based on other ones of its kind for the interior design profession, and will test practitioners on their knowledge of building codes, regulations and the work processes of interior designers. The professional guideline will also serve as the foundation for interior design curriculum. While not imposed upon institution on a compulsory basis, this guideline can help set the direction for any interior design education program, and shape them according to industry needs.

Obviously, in order to for this professional guideline to be widely accepted by the interior design community, there should be general consensus about its content. In addition to making reference to international publications such as the European Council for Interior Architects’ European Charter of Interior Architecture Training and the American Society of Interior Designer’s Professional Practice for Interior Designers and the Interior Design Reference Manual: A Guide to the NCIDQ Exam, the Hong Kong interior design professional guideline should have substantial input from the industry. Several Roundtable members believed that the HKIDA should take steps to establish itself as the definitive industry authority. It should also have a voice within major academic institutions and provide advice on curriculum reform.