American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
The largest of the interior design professional associations, with approximately 25,000 members in the United States and internationally, is ASID. Members are engaged in both residential and commercial interior design, and include students and industry partners. “ASID is a community of people driven by a common love for design and committed to the belief that interior design, as a service to people, is a powerful, multifaceted profession that can positively change people's lives.”1
There are several membership categories in ASID. The highest level of practitioner membership is professional. Members in this category have satisfied rigorous standards of education, work experience, and testing in order to qualify as professional‐level members including passing the NCIDQ examination.
The next practitioner level member is allied. Allied members are practicing interior designers and must meet the same general membership requirements as for professional membership. However, an allied member has not as yet satisfactorily completed the NCIDQ exam.
TABLE 2‐2. Other professional organizations
| There are several other professional organizations that might be available to interior designers based on their professional interests. Complete information regarding the qualification and application procedures of these associations can be obtained from the organizations' national offices or Web sites. |
| American Institute of Architects (AIA). The professional organization for architects. Interior designers may be eligible for affiliated membership. (www.aia.org) |
| Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). Members are owners and managers of office buildings. Interior designers who design large corporate office facilities often are members. (www.boma.org) |
| National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). NAHB represents members of the building industry concerning public policy on a wide variety of home construction issues. (www.nahb.org) |
| Construction Specifications Institute (CSI). Members are those involved in creating and building any type of building structure. (www.csinet.org) |
| International Facility Management Association (IFMA). This organization is for those actively engaged in corporate facility management and planning. (www.ifma.org) |
| National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). This organization is for those interested in specializing in kitchen or bath design. (www.nkba.org) |
| U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This organization represents designers and others in the built‐environment industry who design and promote buildings that are environmentally healthy. They administer the examinations for LEED® certification for architects and interior designers in commercial and residential design. (www.usgbc.org) |
| Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). A national organization to support sustainable design in Canada. (www.CaGBC.org) |
| Many other organizations are listed in the “Internet Resources” section of the Reference List. |
Other membership categories are:
Students
Associate
Architect
Industry partner (IP)
Educator member
The current requirements for each category as well as proper use of the ASID appellation on business stationary are available on the ASID Web site under the “Membership Information” tab (www.asid.org). A different version of the appellation is required for all member levels.
Practitioner members of ASID are required to complete 10 contact hours (equal to 1.0 CEUs) every two years. This is a self‐reporting requirement. Failure to comply with the CEU requirement makes the member subject to a termination of Society membership.
It is important to note that when an individual applies for any level of membership, by signing the application, he agrees to abide by the association's bylaws and code of ethics.
International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
The IIDA “works to advance the value of the interior design and its practitioners as well as to cultivate leadership within the profession.”2 The IIDA has approximately 15,000 members in the United States around the world, working in all areas of residential and commercial interior design. Members practice in numerous commercial specialties as well as residential interior design.
There are several membership categories in IIDA. Professional membership is the highest category of membership in IIDA. It is reserved for those members whose work experience, educational background, and successful completion of the NCIDQ examination permit them to apply for this membership category.
The next level of practitioner in IIDA is Associate members. These members are actively engaged in the profession of interior design. Associate members have met the same educational requirements as professional members, but have not completed the NCIDQ examination.
Other membership categories are:
Architect
Student membership
Industry members
Educator membership
International member. These are associate or professional designers located outside of IIDA chapters and essentially living outside the United States.
The current requirements as well as proper use of the IIDA appellation on business stationary for each category are available on the IIDA Web site under the “Membership” tab (www.iida.org). A different version of the appellation is required for all other member levels.
Professional and associate members are required to complete 1.0 CEUs every two years. Other membership categories might be required to complete CEUs as well. Research the current standards from the IIDA Web site.
As with ASID, by signing the application for any level of membership, the individual agrees to abide by IIDA's bylaws and code of ethics.
International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI)
This professional association was founded in 1963 in Denmark. “IFI is the sole international federating body for Interior Architecture/Design organizations and acts as a global forum for the exchange and development of knowledge and experience, in worldwide education, research and practice.”3 The IFI supports interior architects/designers on an international network. It represents designers, educators, and others in the international community.
There are several membership levels in IFI, the highest being professional. The professional level of membership has requirements that are similar to those of professional membership in ASID, IIDA, or IDC, but requirements do vary somewhat. You can find out more about IFI and its specific