Interior Design Research & Evidence-Based Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which research method involves systematically observing and recording occupant behavior within a space without intervening?
- Structured interview
- Behavioral mapping (Correct answer)
- Focus group
- Delphi method
Correct answer: Behavioral mapping
Behavioral mapping documents how people move through and use spaces by recording observations on floor plan diagrams.
Question 2: Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is best described as:
- A pre-design site analysis conducted before construction
- A systematic assessment of a building's performance after occupants have moved in (Correct answer)
- A code compliance review performed during construction
- A client satisfaction survey administered before the schematic phase
Correct answer: A systematic assessment of a building's performance after occupants have moved in
POE gathers data on how well a completed building meets user needs, informing future design decisions.
Question 3: A designer uses findings from peer-reviewed ergonomics journals to specify workstation heights. This approach is an example of:
- Intuitive design
- Evidence-based design (EBD) (Correct answer)
- Trend-driven design
- Client-directed design
Correct answer: Evidence-based design (EBD)
Evidence-based design applies credible research findings to inform design decisions rather than relying solely on aesthetics or personal preference.
Question 4: In the PACO model of evidence-based design, what does the 'O' stand for?
- Outcomes (Correct answer)
- Occupant
- Observation
- Objective
Correct answer: Outcomes
PACO stands for Problem, Alternatives, Criteria, and Outcomes—a framework for structuring design research decisions.
Question 5: A meta-analysis differs from a single research study primarily because it:
- Uses only qualitative data collected through interviews
- Statistically combines results from multiple independent studies (Correct answer)
- Focuses on a single case study in great depth
- Relies on expert opinion rather than empirical data
Correct answer: Statistically combines results from multiple independent studies
Meta-analysis pools data across many studies to produce a stronger, more reliable estimate of an effect.
Question 6: Which organization publishes the Center for Health Design's 'Pebble Project' research, focusing on evidence-based healthcare environments?
- ASID
- IIDA
- The Center for Health Design (Correct answer)
- NCIDQ
Correct answer: The Center for Health Design
The Center for Health Design manages the Pebble Project, a research collaborative linking hospitals that measure design interventions against patient outcomes.
Question 7: When a designer pilots a new lighting layout in one conference room before rolling it out to an entire office floor, she is applying which research principle?
- Random sampling
- Controlled experimentation (Correct answer)
- Retrospective analysis
- Secondary data mining
Correct answer: Controlled experimentation
Testing an intervention in a limited controlled setting before full implementation mirrors the logic of a controlled experiment.
Interior Design Research & Evidence-Based Practice 2
Which research method involves systematically observing and recording occupant behavior within a space without intervening?