Those are good points Michael… I think that in order to keep this discussion less broad, we should define what Brandon means specifically. What is this Practice and Title Act? Something in the works already? Could you elaborate please?
For example, when I hear “regulations”, the first thing that comes to mind are codes. When I worked in the US, there was no way around railings other safety measures that are way more lenient in other parts of the world… did it feel like a limitation for the designers? In a way yes, but it could also be considered a challenge.
Now working in Mexico, as designers we are able to get away with more “adventurous” designs, which are not regulated by a litigious culture, nor limited by fear of getting sued…
So to answer your question, I think that some regulations and standardizations are necessary, but you have to keep a broad mind to take in consideration different cultures, social norms, etc. Perhaps it is more possible to achieve this within the USA, but as far as applying to the rest of the world, it would have to be a series of values that are applicable to all.
As many of us are aware, we already have, both in the US and abroad, an array of Licensing authorities, as well as professional organizations (ASLA, IFLA, SAPM, CAAP, etc) that give us some regulation and definitions for the profession.
