The Integrated Design Process

The integrated design process is a catch phrase in its prime. What does it mean to each of us? If you asked a mechanical engineer, you will probably hear about BIM (Building Information Modeling). If you reference the recent IIDA Perspective magazine article The Power to Deliver, you’d find that it means bringing the interior designer to the table early. But, aren’t these just slices of the holistic meaning of Integrated Design?
During an engaging dialogue with IIDA Corporate Forum attendees in September, we shared the following definitions of an Integrated Design Approach:

• Where the "who", "when", "where", and "how" of a project is decided along with the "what", instead of after
• A team collaborating to create functional interior from programming and research
• “Integrative” suggests an evolving process rather than a fixed process. It implies we’re never really done (taken from The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building)
• This approach asks all members of building stakeholder community, and technical planning, design, and construction team to look at project objectives, building materials, systems, and assemblies from many different perspectives (a deviation from traditional process as doesn’t rely on expertise of specialists to work in their respective silos and somewhat isolated from each other)

Voice your mind. What does it mean to you? 
Posted by Kim Parsley, IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter Corporate Forum Advisor