Examination Alternative Project

What is the Examination Alternative Project?

• ARIDO has agreed with the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) that an alternative to the NCDIQ exams should be developed as a Canadian option in relation to the future Direct Regulation Model.
• This Canadian Alternative would be a second option, in addition to the NCIDQ exams, for satisfying ARIDO’s examination requirement.
• To this end, ARIDO has launched the Examination Alternative Project to develop a Canadian Alternative to the current NCIDQ exams. The goal is to ensure a fair and equitable path to qualification as an Interior Designer in Ontario.

What is the purpose of this Project?

• ARIDO currently accepts that applicants who have successfully completed the NCIDQ exams have satisfied the examination requirement to become a Registered Member of ARIDO.
• Under the future ARIDO/OAA Direct Regulation Model, the current requirements of education, experience, and examination to qualify as an Interior Designer will provide Registered Members with a license to practice the protected scope of interior design.
• ARIDO’s role as a qualifying body will therefore be accountable to provincial government, the OAA and the Ontario Fairness Commissioner for assessing if individuals have met the requirements for registration into the Interior Design profession. ARIDO will be accountable for ensuring the validity, reliability, and fairness of assessments it uses to satisfy the requirements it is mandating, and it must also have authority to oversee and alter the requirements to qualify as it relates to fair access.

Timeline

Milestones	Start Date	End Date	Status
Initiation	January 2, 2023	March 15, 2023	Completed
Periodic Reviews	January 20, 2023	August 29, 2023	Completed
Feedback Survey	April 15, 2023	May 12, 2023	Completed
Development of the Proposed Solution	May 31, 2023	September 27, 2023	Completed
Review of the Proposed Solution	November 1, 2023	December 23, 2023	Completed
Open Comment Period	February 12, 2024	March 29, 2024	Completed
Content Creation	March 1, 2024	September 2, 2024	Completed
Pilot Testing	October 1, 2024	December 23, 2024	Ongoing
Launch - Field Testing	March 30, 2025	TBD

A Solution by Interior Designers

ARIDO will be inviting participation from the interior design community during the phases of development, including reviewing the proposed Canadian Alternative, commenting on the proposed solution, and conducting pilot testing for individuals needing to meet the examination requirement.

ARIDO recognizes the dual focus on both Ontario-specific needs and broader applicability within Canada. Deliberate efforts have been made to include practitioners from across Canada in the Review Group. Notably, the new, alternative option being developed will be bilingual, available in both English and French.

Updates

EDI Consultant’s Research Report

ARIDO is pleased to announce that we have received Dr. Fatima Samji’s report on the development phase of the examination alternative project.  Her report, The Interpersonal Experiences of an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Exam Requirement Re-Evaluation: The Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO)’s Canadian Assessment Project- Active Audit and Research Report, provides valuable insights into how ARIDO navigated the redesign of its exam requirement to increase inclusion while maintaining rigor, with a focus on the development group's self-audit of biases and the role of the EDI Consultant.

Key Highlights from the Report:

• ARIDO's commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (edi) in its assessment process by focusing on reducing barriers to entry as qualified.
• The implementation of an EDI Crash Course for the development group.
• The active audit of development meetings and the research conducted by an external consultant.
• Findings on how an accreditation body can conduct competency reviews and redesign exam requirementsto enhance equity and inclusion while protecting the public interest.

Access the Full Report here.

We encourage all stakeholders to review the report and consider its recommendations as ARIDO continues its journey towards a more inclusive and equitable assessment process.

Pilot Testing

A critical phase in the development of our examination alternative, pilot testing, is currently underway. This involves a select group of candidates in Ontario and Quebec participating in the new examination process under close monitoring, providing valuable feedback on their experience as they make their way through the process.  The insights gained from this pilot testing phase will be instrumental in refining support tools, making instructions clearer, and ensuring its fairness and effectiveness. We anticipate the pilot testing phase to be completed by December 2024, after which a comprehensive analysis of the feedback will be conducted to finalize the instructions, support tools, and process. Stay tuned for further updates on the progress of this exciting initiative!

Content Creation

Following the confirmed direction for the solution, content development for the Practice Readiness Program and Entrance Interview is underway. This collaborative process involves senior-level practitioners from across Canada, who are crafting engaging, effective, and accessible learning experiences for applicants.

Key activities include:

• Creating program content
• Designing self-assessments
• Translating all content into French
• Selecting an online platform

This comprehensive approach ensures that the final program is high-quality, user-friendly, and meets the needs of diverse learners.

Watch our EAP Update Webinar from June 27, 2024

As we continue development of Examination Alternative Project (EAP), ARIDO is committed to transparent updates to assist the interior design community to better understand the project, it’s intent and the role that it will play in the ARIDO/OAA Direct Regulation Model, and the future of regulation in Ontario. During this webinar we discussed the Open Comment Period, confirmed our direction, and shared the latest on content development for this new, Canadian qualification option for Interior Designers.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review and comment on the proposed solution. We appreciate your valuable feedback. Please note that the Open Comment Period is now closed.

Click here to watch the webinar recording.

Open Comment Period – February 12 – March 29, 2024

This is your chance to review and comment on the proposed solution and intended direction for a new, Canadian option to fulfill the examination requirement that is currently under development.

We invite feedback from:

• ARIDO members across all membership categories
• Practitioners who are members of a provincial jurisdiction outside Ontario
• Designers who are not a member of any Provincial jurisdiction including Ontario but who are practicing interior design in Canada.

We encourage a diverse range of individuals to comment, including those who completed interior design education other than a CIDA-accredited degree or are foreign-trained and internationally-educated. 

To participate in the online Open Comment Period:

1. Become familiar with key background information on this project website.

2.  Watch the following Video Introduction in Zoom

3. Start Your Review and Provide Comment using an online survey link , accessible between February 12, 2024 and March 29, 2024.

Click here to access our Frequently Asked Questions

Call-out for Senior-level Interior Designers

ARIDO is seeking senior-level practitioners of interior design, who are qualified in Ontario or another Provincial jurisdiction, to participate in the development of content for the Canadian Alternative. While this initiative will develop and implement an additional option to meet the examination requirement for Registered Interior Designers in Ontario, we are welcoming the participation from practitioners from across Canada.

If you are interested in participating as a content contributor, please indicate your interest when completing the survey for the Open Comment Period or email us directly at assessment@arido.ca

Review Group

In November 2023, 40+ senior-level interior designers participated in 1-on-1 interviews and/or online surveys in order to review the proposed solution for a new, alternative option for the examination requirement. The feedback from this group will be sent back to the Development Group in spring 2024 to make any necessary adjustments.

Periodic Review Reports

Between January and August 2023, reviews were conducted by an independent consultant to evaluate the real-world performance of ARIDO-developed competency systems used in the registration path, gathering feedback from all system users.

You can access copies of the Independent Consultant’s Reports:

• Final Review of the Intern Competencies Review System
• Progress Review of the Interior Design Experience Requirement
• Preliminary Review of the Canadian Alternative

Development Group

Between May and September 2023, a development group made up of current practitioners with a variety of education and experience participated in 3 all-day working sessions in order to develop and propose a solution for a new, alternative option for the examination requirement. This group has developed a proposed solution which has been reviewed by a Review Group.

Pilot Testing

Recruitment for pilot testers occurred between April and August 2023 and pilot testing is scheduled to take place in October to December 2024. This phase will allow a small group of individuals to complete the new, alternative option to meet the examination requirement under close monitoring.

During this phase, ARIDO will be actively seeking feedback to improve the instructions and process from applicants before launching a field-testing phase.

Survey on Examination Requirement

ARIDO conducted an anonymous online survey to gather input from interior designers across Canada. The survey’s primary focus was on gathering feedback on the current examination requirement and identifying barriers for becoming a Registered Interior Designer in Ontario and other Canadian jurisdictions. To ensure inclusivity, the survey was available in both English and French.

The survey was open for responses until May 12, 2023. We received 505 responses! Thank you to all who participated! For details on the results of the survey, please see the Preliminary Review of Canadian Alternative report.

Information Session - Recording

This virtual information session on ARIDO’s Examination Alternative Project took place on Friday, April 28th, 2023, in order to share more about this project and open the floor to questions from ARIDO members and interior designers from jurisdictions outside of Ontario.

It was presented by Sharon Portelli, ARIDO's Executive Director and Registrar, and Daniel Zanth, Examination Alternative Project Lead and focused on ARIDO’s project to develop a Canadian Alternative to the current exams.

If you have any questions about this project, you can email ARIDO at assessment@arido.ca.