What is a Program?
- Programming is a process during which information about a problem is collected, analyzed, and clearly stated to provide a basis for design.
- It defines a problem before a solution is attempted.
- Programming is problem analysis whereas design is problem synthesis.
Defining a Problem
Identifying current industry trends is an important part of defining your topic and problem.
Trends may include*:
- Aging in place
- Antropometry
- Barrier-free design
- Biomimicry
- Business of design
- Corporate design
- Environmental behavior
- Ergonomics
- Facilities planning
- Green/sustainable design
- Healthcare design
- Historic preservation and restoration
- Hospitality design
- Human factors
- Institutional design
- Lighting design
- Modularity/impermanence
- Museum and exhibit design
- Residential design
- Resiliency
- Retail design
- Set design
- Universal design
- Way-finding methods
*Botti-Salitsky, R. (2017). Programming & research : Skills and techniques for interior designers (Second ed.).
Questions to consider:
- What is the problem?
- Why is it worth investigating and learning about?
- What opportunities exist within this problem?
- Have others tried to solve this problem?
- What is the scope of the problem (including sub-problems)?
- What are the limitations of the problem?
Locating Case Studies
A case study is a research strategy that uses "an empirical inquiry that investigates a phenomenon or setting" in its real life context; it is an in-depth study of an instance, event, or situation.
When you compare more than one case study, it's called comparative case study research. You may identify themes when engaging with multiple examples and cases.
- Building GreenThe leading, authoritative online resource for reliable content on sustainable design strategies, green building materials, and case studies. *Please note NAU does not subscribe to this; each individual may register for a free 15 day trial.
- InhabitatInhabitat is a forum for investigating emerging trends in product, interior, and architectural design. The site is devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter and more sustainable future.
- WorldCat This link opens in a new windowSearch for books, movies, and other materials in library catalogs from around the world.
Locating Theory & Interdisciplinary Research
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowAcademic Search Complete is multi-disciplinary database that includes peer-reviewed journal articles, magazine articles, newspaper articles, and more.
- Google Scholar This link opens in a new windowSearch the web for articles, books, theses, and other sources spanning many disciplines. Many results will be from scholarly sources. Access full-text articles from your search by selecting the FullText@NAU link. To see the FullText@NAU links in Google Scholar from any computer anywhere, link your Google Scholar account to NAU.
- WorldCat This link opens in a new windowSearch for books, movies, and other materials in library catalogs from around the world.
More resources listed under Books and Articles tabs
Additional Resources
Programming and Research by ISBN: 9781628929546Publication Date: 2017-04-20Programming and Research: Skills and Techniques for Interior Designers provides a step-by-step approach to mastering the process of documenting client and user requirements for any design project. Replete with examples and analyses of student and professional work, this book guides its readers through the creation of their own program documents. Both the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) consider programming a required core of knowledge. Programming and Research focuses on how the study of programming for interior designers prepares students for and advances them into the professional realm.This second edition is updated with the latest information interior designers must be equipped with, including new coverage on evidence-based design, integrated project delivery (IPD), building information modeling (BIM), design across disciplines, LEED programming, designing on a budget, and time management.
Interior Design Visual Presentation by ISBN: 0471225525Publication Date: 2003-07-28Interior Design Visual Presentation, Second Edition is fully revised to include the latest material on CAD, digital portfolios, resume preparation, and Web page design.
Idea Searching for Design by ISBN: 9781472581969Publication Date: 2016-07-14The second edition of Idea Searching examines methods of generating and identifying ideas, and teaches you to understand what is being observed and recorded. Using lavish illustrations, concise case studies and practical examples, it explores how different experiences, contexts and references are important in identifying an idea that is appropriate for a particular individual, target audience or culture.
