People have been building and designing structures and shelters ever since there were people. Construction is an essential sector in every competitive economy. Professionals who work in these fields are well respected and well compensated. Engineers and architects are typically near the top of the list for highest paying professions. Interior designers also do quite well.

In recent years, the trend in building and structure design has been moving toward greater integration of previously disparate fields. For instance, when a design team was charged with the task of drawing up plans for a new building, they would typically separate and work on their own. That is, engineers would work with engineers, architects would work with architects, and interior designers would also go at it alone.

But today, most modern firms don’t specialize in only one area. They employ design teams with experts from all of the aforementioned professions. There may even be a spot for an expert that designs used cars.

Why the change? The simplest explanation is that modern professionals have more experience in related fields than they did in the past. For example, an interior designer must take classes in architecture so she can understand and work with architects on design features.

This has created a synergistic relationship between professionals who can learn from and teach from employees with experience in different fields.