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Design+ Building code app benefits for designers

Table 2. Industry professionals’ interview questions resources, creating Excel sheets, and using the physical
code book as available resources. However, many expressed
No. Interview questions frustrations with existing resources, such as difficulties in
1 Which company do you work for? finding information and understanding the language of
2 What is your current position? the physical code book. Designers also experienced code
3 What is your role in your company? miscalculations due to misinterpretations, leading to time-
4 What type of projects do you work on? consuming revisions. When asked about how much they
5 Do you refer to the building code in your current job? were willing to pay to resolve these issues, participants
6 Can you tell me more about the building code components that considered the app’s value and suggested pricing models
you use? such as group licenses, subscriptions, free versus premium
7 Can you walk me through a building code scenario that you versions, and discounted prices for organization members.
encounter? Other feedback included requests to incorporate additional
8 What do you like about work experience related to building resources and features into the app, expand code content,
code? add a region selection feature, and implement marketing
9 What did your employer like about the building code work strategies.
experience? Architects, architectural engineers, and interior design
10 What is frustrating about building code work experience for academic instructors, along with department heads and
you? program directors, were also interviewed to understand
11 What is frustrating about building code work experience for how building codes are introduced and taught in academic
your employer? programs. Students are introduced to building codes
12 Have you ever thought of looking up existing building code in their 2 year and continue to apply them throughout
nd
apps? subsequent lectures and studio courses. The codes
13 Have you ever messed up building code calculations at a taught include fire safety, occupancy load, plumbing,
late stage in the design process? If yes, can you describe that structural, and energy conservation codes. Based on their
experience to me? learning experience, students can embrace the rules, gain
14 How much would you/or your employer pay to make this confidence, and develop reference resources. However,
problem go away? feelings of inexperience, intimidation by code complexity,
15 What other features would you like to see incorporated into the and difficulty in memorizing and relating them to real-
BCC app? world experiences lead to frustration. The organization
of the textbook further contributes to their frustration.
(version NVivo 15.1.0) to generate codes. Afterward, these Students also tend to miscalculate egress, corridors,
codes were analyzed to identify themes. These themes floor openings, and compliance with the Americans with
were organized into Tables 3 and 4. The quantitative data Disabilities Act guidelines. While these mistakes are part
gathered from the instructor’s survey responses were of the learning process, fixing them is time-consuming,
analyzed using descriptive analysis and a one-sample and students are often reluctant to make changes.
Wilcoxon test in the Statistical Package for the Social Instructors reported appreciating the presence of concrete
Sciences (SPSS Statistics 29), with a hypothesis median rules that challenge creativity. They enjoy teaching code
value set at 3 and a significance level (p-value) of 0.05. through hands-on activities, helping students understand
3. Results their relevance, and seeing them apply this knowledge
in design projects. However, instructors also experience
The interview questions for the industry professionals frustration due to the complexity and intimidation of codes,
explored the frequency of code usage, project type, design students’ lack of interest or feelings of being overwhelmed,
stage, and types of code used. Findings indicated that the and the cost of the required codebook. Instructors are
project type largely determined which codes professionals aware of online resources, plugins for Building Information
needed to consult. Many participants reported using Modeling software, physical code books, and instructional
international code standards such as the International videos. One participant mentioned a Steel Code app, but
Building Codes, the International Fire Codes, and the no instructor was aware of the existence of BCC apps.
International Residential Codes, as well as national and local Regarding the cost of the app, instructors suggested making
codes. In addition, the interviews revealed the workflow the app free, offering a student discount, possibly through
of collaborations among design team members and their a subscription, or paid for by the department. Additional
responsibilities. Participants were unaware of mobile apps feedback includes adding other helpful app features and
that could help them with codes, relying on online web including more code content.

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 7 doi: 10.36922/DP025190025