Interior design continues to re-define itself as a discipline that presents designers with new problems that require innovative solutions. This is particularly true in the case in office design. The transformation of the office environment from the standard bullpen configuration to today's dynamic, flexible, and open floor plans has required new design methodologies that incorporate tools and technologies that are readily available to interior designers. Today, increased use of teams in the workplace challenges interior designers to create environments that accommodate both group and individual tasks (Brill, Weidermann & BOSTI associates, 2001). Collaboration has received considerable attention as organizations focus on productivity and reducing costs to compete in a global economy (Hassanain, 2006). Designers and architects should learn to create environments that respond to dynamic, moveable, and flexible work methods. This web-based research study explores the use of pattern language as a new tool for designing collaborative work environments. In 1977, Christopher Alexander and his associates developed `Pattern language' (Alexander, Ishikawa & Silverstein, 1977) as a design formulation methodology. It consists of a series of interrelated physical elements combined to create a framework for design solutions. This pattern language tool for collaborative work environments was created based on research by Lori Anthony (2001). This study further builds upon current trends and research in collaborative work environments. The researcher conducted a pilot test by sending the web-based tool and an online questionnaire to all graduate students and faculty members in the fields of interior design and healthcare and healing environment (HHE). After testing its validity in The Design School at Arizona State University, the same tool and questionnaire was sent to the employees of one of the leading architecture and interior design firms in Phoenix, AZ. The results showed that among those design professionals surveyed, the majority believe pattern language could be a valuable design tool. The insights obtained from this study will provide designers, architects, and facility managers with a new design tool to aid in creating effective collaborative spaces in a work environment.

There is a conflict in the profession of interior design over regulation through legislation. For some organizations and individuals, regulation via legislation is the next perceived step in the professionalization process which has been evolving for over 40 years and is needed to protect the health, safety and welfare (HSW) of the public. For other organizations and individuals, legislation is deemed unnecessary and an affront to the free trade market and serves only to create anti-competitive barriers resulting in the formation of a "design cartel" (Campo-Flores, 2011; Carpenter, 2007). Research exists on the professionalization of interior design and on the reasons stated for and against legislation (ASID, 2010, Anderson, Honey, Dudek, 2007, Martin, 2008). However, there is little research on understanding how the actual stake-holders view legislation. For the purpose of this research, the stake-holders are the professional interior designers themselves. The purpose of this study was to examine the current status of relevant issues to the subject of regulation in interior design and to pose the question if there is an option to legislation. If so, could third party certification be an acceptable alternative? An on-line survey was developed and posted on interior design networking sites on LinkedIn. The results of the survey suggest that interior designers are completely divided on the issue of legislation but favorably view certification. The survey has also revealed the lack of understanding of the legislative process in interior design and confusion in the role that interior design organizations play. The study has also revealed that interior designers identify the distorted view the public has of this industry as a problem. Interior designers surveyed in this study see a need to separate commercial and residential interior design. Overall, this study has concluded that interior designers would actually prefer a certification process to legislation.