Evaluation of Interior Designers' and Interior Design Students' Perceptions of CAD (Computer Aided Design) Vaishali A
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Eastern Michigan University DigitalCommons@EMU Master's Theses, and Doctoral Dissertations, and Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations Graduate Capstone Projects 3-2007 Evaluation of interior designers' and interior design students' perceptions of CAD (computer aided design) Vaishali A. Patil Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.emich.edu/theses Part of the Education Commons, and the Interior Architecture Commons Recommended Citation Patil, Vaishali A., "Evaluation of interior designers' and interior design students' perceptions of CAD (computer aided design)" (2007). Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. 176. http://commons.emich.edu/theses/176 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Master's Theses, and Doctoral Dissertations, and Graduate Capstone Projects at DigitalCommons@EMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@EMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Eastern Michigan University DigitalCommons@EMU Master's Theses, and Doctoral Dissertations, and Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations Graduate Capstone Projects 1-1-2007 Evaluation of Interior Designers' and Interior Design Students' Perceptions of CAD (Computer Aided Design) Vaishali A. Patil Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.emich.edu/theses Recommended Citation Patil, Vaishali A., "Evaluation of Interior Designers' and Interior Design Students' Perceptions of CAD (Computer Aided Design)" (2007). Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. Paper 176. This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Master's Theses, and Doctoral Dissertations, and Graduate Capstone Projects at DigitalCommons@EMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@EMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EVALUATION OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS' AND INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF CAD (COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN) by Vaishali A Patil Thesis Submitted to the College of Technology Eastern Michigan University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE m Interior Design Thesis Committee: Louise Jones, ArchD, Chair Jiang Lu, MArch, MArt Kelly Welker, PhD March 2007 Ypsilanti, Michigan 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My sincere thanks to my committee chair person Dr. Jones, thesis committee members, Prof. Lu and Dr. Welker for continuous encouragement, patience, suggestions and assistance at every step ofthe way. Thanks to my husband A vi, who believed in me and kept me focused. I couldn't have done it with out his and our daughter Snehas' help, who encouraged me to complete it as soon as can. 111 ABSTRACT This research project used quantitative research method to evaluate interior designers' and interior design students' perceptions about CAD (computer aided design) in interior design. Survey method was used to collect data about demographics, perceptions regarding CAD use, difficulties with its use, and expectations of CAD in near future. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize data from self-administered questionnaires for students and interior designers. The outcome ofthe study provided an explanation for co-relation of the use of CAD among interior designers and students of interior design. It also provided understanding of practitioners' and students' expectations regarding the use of CAD in near future. lV TABLE OF CONTENTS AKNOWLEDGEMENTS . 11 ABSTRACT. 111 LIST OF TABLES. .Vll LIST OF IGURES. X CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. 1 Current CAD Use. 1 Unrealized Potential. 2 Significance. 2 Research Questions. 3 Research Design.. 4 Summary.. 4 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITRETURE. 6 Historical Perspective .. 6 Current Perspective. ... 12 Computer Technology. ... 14 Future Perspective .. .28 Summary.. .30 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODS. .31 Research Problem. .31 Research Questions. .32 Study Variables and Attributes .. .32 Methodology/ Research Design. .33 v Human Subjects Review Committee Approval. .33 Data Collection .. .34 Data Analysis. .34 Study Limitations .. .42 Summary.. .43 CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION. .44 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents .. .44 Research Question One: Analysis and Discussion. .52 Research Question Two: Analysis and Discussion. .68 Research Question Three: Analysis and Discussion .. .73 Research Question Four: Analysis and Discussion. .75 Closing. .77 CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CONCLUSIONS. .78 Summary.. .79 Limitations ofthe Study and Recommendations for Future Research Future Research .. .87 Conclusions. .88 REFERENCES. .89 APPENDICES. .91 APPENDIX A: Participation Cover Letters. .92 Participation Cover Letter (Interior Designers'). .93 Participation Cover Letter (Students'). .96 APPENDIX B: Questionnaires. .99 Vl Interior Designers' Questionnaire . 100 Students' Questionnaire . 112 APPENDIX C: Human Subjects Approval. 123 Vll LIST OF TABLES Table Page Table 1. Comparison CAD Use in Education and Practice. .10 Table 2. Current AutoCAD Companies and Their Basic Product. 0 16 Table 3. List of Currently Available Image-Editing Software. 0 21 Table 4. Variables and Their Attributes. 0 36 Table 5. Students' and Designers' Gender Relationship. 0 45 Table 6. Students' and Designers' Age Relationship.. 0 46 Table 7. Students' and Designers' Design Specialization Relationship. 0 47 Table 8. Interior Design Practitioners' Years of Professional Practice. 0 48 Table 9. Comparison of Students' and Designers' NCIDQ Certification Status. 0 48 Table 10. Clients' Preferences for CAD. 0 50 Table 11. Preference for an Employee's Skills .. 0 50 Table 12. Students' Program of Study.. 0 51 Table 13. Credit hours Student had Completed in CAD. 0 51 Table 14. Students' and Designers' Preferred Media Use. 0 52 Table 15. Students' and Designers' Proportion of CAD work. 0 53 Table 16. Comparison of Students' and Designers' Source of CAD Education. 0 56 Table 17. Students' and Designers' Length of Time CAD Use .. 0 56 Table 18. CAD Software Used Most often by Students and Designers. 0 57 Table 19. Version of CAD Used by Students and Designers. 0 57 Table 20. Frequency ofUpgrade (Designers). 0 58 Table 21. Frequency ofUpgrade (Students).. 0 58 V111 Table 22. Students' and Designers' CAD Access at Home. 59 Table 23. Students' and Designers' Experience with Virtual Reality.. 59 Table 24. Students' and Designers' Scope of CAD work.. 60 Table 25. When CAD Software is Used by Students and Designers. 61 Table 26. Rendering Software Used by Students and Designers. 63 Table 27. Animation Software Used by Students and Designers. 64 Table 28. Image-Editing Software Used by Students and Designers. 65 Table 29. Students' and Designers' Reasons for Not Using Image-Editing Software .. 65 Table 30. Students' and Designers' Use oflmage-Editing Software to Create Non-Photorealistic Renderings .. 66 Table 31. Students' and Designers' Reasons for Not using Image-Editing Software to Create Non-Photorealistic Renderings. 67 Table 32. Computer-Aided Physical Model-Making Devices Used by Students and Designers .. 67 Table 33. Students' and Designers' Use of Virtual Reality. 68 Table 34. Students' and Designers' Overall Perception of CAD. 69 Table 35. Ease ofLearningto Use CAD Software for Students and Designers. 70 Table 36. Students' and Designers' Enhancement in Creativity. 71 Table 37. Students' and Designers' Self-Perception (Makes Me a Better Designer). 71 Table 38. Students' and Designers' Marketability. .72 Table 39. Students' and Designers' Problems experienced with CAD Use. 74 lX Table 40. Students' and Designers' Biggest Problem with CAD. 75 Table 41. Students' and Designers' Choices for Areas Needing Improvement.. 77 Table 42. Design Students' Use of CAD software .. 80 Table 43. Summary of Statistical Analysis. 84 Table 44. Summary of Statistical Analysis. 86 X LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Diagram ofthe study. .5 2. Hand-drawn perspective of Majority Restaurant.. 14 3. Computer-generated perspective view using Architectural AutoDesk Desktop and edited using Adobe Photoshop. 15 4. Examples of digital painting. 20 5. Digitaly rendered elevation. 22 6. Digitally rendered perspective view .. 22 7. Computer-rendered perspective view of Majority Restaurant. 23 8. Computer-rendered perspective view of Majority Restaurant edited using Adobe Photoshop .. 24 9. Bird's-eye view of architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron's Project. 26 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Computer technology, in the form of CAD (computer aided design) software, such as AutoCAD; image enhancers, such as Photoshop; and animation, such as VIZ render, has become important to the architecture and interior design industry. The use of this software doesn't necessarily improve the creative process. However, applied intelligently, with a clear and simple strategy, a smart array of these tools can help to encourage creativity and innovation in problem solving (Trulove, 2004). Current CAD Use Currently, it's not uncommon to see architects and interior designers using two dimensional CAD services and, to a lesser degree, three-dimensional modeling services to demonstrate their ideas more effectively to clients. Today's clients like to be involved in the design process and to know how the space could look at the completion of the project. Researchers McLain-Kark, Dhuru, and Parrott (1999) examined clients' attitudes towards computer models and animation presentation techniques relative to showroom