BIID Inclusion Insight Focus Group

Help shape what BIID prioritises next 

BIID is convening a focused, practical online session to gather credible insight from 
across the interior design sector. We want to understand where inclusion is working, 
where it is not, and what will make the biggest difference next. 

This is a two-hour, facilitated focus group. It is designed to move beyond “telling” and 
into clear priorities and practical actions. 

The challenge we are trying to solve 

BIID has made progress on inclusion in recent years, including resources and learning 
content. We now need sharper evidence and insight to ensure we focus on the right 
issues, in the right way, and communicate them in a way that lands with the industry. 
Some patterns are clear. Others are not. We want to stop guessing, and start acting 
with purpose. 
We are asking for your help to explore where barriers, stereotypes, and structural 
issues still sit in the profession, and what BIID can do to improve representation and 
belonging. 

Why we need your help 

We need perspectives from people who: 

• Work in interior design (any specialism, any sector).
• Have lived experience of barriers or underrepresentation.
• Have seen barriers affect colleagues, students, or peers.
• Are willing to challenge assumptions (including BIID’s).
• Care about the future of the profession, even if you are sceptical about “diversity 
  and inclusion” work. 

We will use your insight to identify priorities BIID can evidence, communicate, and act on.

Who we want in the room 

This session is open to BIID members and non-members. We welcome: 

• Studio owners, employees, freelancers, and consultants.
• Early career designers, experienced designers, and returners.
• Educators and lecturers.
• Students and recent graduates.
• People with lived experience of disability, barriers, bias, or exclusion.
• People who have not engaged with BIID inclusion work before. 

If you can offer honest perspective and commit to a two hour session, you are the right person.  

Topics

We will cover three topics in depth, rather than many topics at surface level. Each topic will include guided discussion and short breakout conversations. 

Gender representation and progression 

We want to explore what is driving the gender imbalance across different levels of the profession, including progression and visibility. Discussion prompts may include:

• Why do fewer men enter interior design?
• Are men overrepresented in “top designer” lists and high-visibility roles? And if so, why do you think that is?
• What factors influence progression, recognition, and seniority?
• What would make the profession feel more open and credible to everyone? 

Physical disability and accessibility in the profession

We want to understand barriers to entry and progression for designers with physical disabilities, including visible and invisible disabilities. This includes practical realities such as travel, site visits, and working patterns. Discussion prompts may include:

• What barriers exist (real or perceived) for people with physical disabilities?
• Are there parts of the profession that assume a level of physical ability?
• What adjustments, or ways of working make inclusion realistic in practice? Would identifying physical needs of roles help inclusion? An example of this would be how a person with colour blindness can work as an interior designer. They can work in many roles as an interior designer that don’t require them to choose colours including spatial planning.  
• What would “good” look like for BIID in this space (knowledge, visibility, support, standards, advocacy)?  

Stereotypes and broader representation 

We want to understand the stereotypes attached to interior design and the knock-on effect on who joins, who progresses, and who feels the profession is “for them”. Discussion prompts may include:  

• What stereotypes still shape how the profession is perceived? How is interior design perceived in comparison to other professions within the wider construction 
  industry?
• Who feels excluded or underrepresented, and why?
• How do class, culture, race, sexuality, age, geography, and other factors influence entry and belonging?
• How do we broaden the profession’s appeal and relevance, without lowering standards or relying on tokenism?  

Why these areas, and why now 

• They are repeatedly raised as pressure points across the profession.
• They are visible in industry perception and status, not only in individual experiences.
• BIID has already produced work in some areas, and now needs clarity on gaps and priorities.
• Physical disability and accessibility in the profession remains under-discussed and under-evidenced.
• A focused session gives BIID usable insight and a clearer plan than another broad survey. 

Register your interest in participating

If you have accessibility requirements to support your participation, please tell us when you register. Otherwise, reach out via email and we will be in touch with further information.
 

 

Register your interest