Читать книгу Professional Practice for Interior Designers - Christine M. Piotrowski - Страница 14

Clients are very savvy today. They expect the designer to be knowledgeable and have the experience to do the job right. This savvy client expects more from practitioners than those who basically have a flair for color.

Of course, creativity is important as most projects involve creative problem solving. A successful interior design practitioner must combine creativity with his or her own business knowledge to lead to or continue success within the profession.

Knowledge and application of business practice concepts are essential. A designer who is bad at business subconsciously hints to clients that they can take advantage of the designer by arguing and second‐guessing the designer's decisions. Furthermore, if the firm is not successful as a business, if it does not sustain profitability, it makes no difference how creative the practitioners might be: The poorly run business is likely to fail.

Interior design is much more than a way to express creativity. It is an endeavor that must recognize the importance of ethical conduct. It is about being socially responsible and realizing that, in today's world, the interior design profession has a global reach. It's not just about “us” in the United States, it's about all of “us” on this planet. It is not a hobby; it is not the quick, do‐it‐yourself situation portrayed on cable TV.

Studying and applying business practices to the management of the firm helps the owner have a greater chance of achieving a profit. If the business owner is to allow his company to grow to the extent that he would like it to grow, the owner must understand all the aspects of professional practice.

As an employee, you will be held accountable for the ongoing success of an interior design firm. You have a responsibility to work productively and bill those hours. You also must work professionally and effectively to complete any assigned job tasks. You need to have some awareness of the expense it takes to operate a practice so that you do not waste company resources.

Students must master a basic understanding of business practices. Although a business practices class may come late in the curriculum, that placement does not make it any less important. I believe it is one of the two most important classes in a student's curriculum, even if it's not the most important to you individually. Without an understanding of the professional practice of interior design, as a student, emerging professional, or employee, your success will be limited.

Finally, many topics in this book are topics important to curriculum accreditation, certification granting organizations, licensing regulations, and professional associations. These groups recognize that business practices knowledge is critical to the overall education and training of an interior designer.

An interior design firm owner once told me that he wants to hire individuals who want his job. That doesn't happen without knowing how to run a business.