Permissions & Visibility

Room Design implements a comprehensive permission and visibility system that controls who can access and modify your designs. This dual-layer approach provides fine-grained control over collaboration and sharing.

Permission System

The permission system defines what actions users can perform on a room design. There are four permission levels, each granting progressively more control.

Permission Levels

*Collaborators can only edit designs with “Opened” or “Limited” visibility (see below)

Owner

The creator of the room design or the user who has been transferred ownership.

Capabilities:

• Full control over all aspects of the design
• Can modify any settings
• Can delete the room design
• Can transfer ownership to another user
• Can change visibility settings
• Can manage all collaborators and permissions

Use Cases:

• Primary designer responsible for the project
• Client who has taken over the design
• Project manager with final authority

Admin

Users with nearly complete control, except for ownership transfer.

Capabilities:

• View and edit all aspects of the design
• Share the design with others
• Add or remove collaborators
• Change visibility settings
• Delete the room design
• Cannot transfer ownership

Use Cases:

• Senior designers working alongside the owner
• Project managers who need full control
• Studio leads overseeing team projects

Collaborator

Users who can contribute to the design but have limited administrative control.

Capabilities:

• View the design in full detail
• Edit designs marked as “Opened” or “Limited”
• Cannot edit “Hidden” or “Closed” designs
• Cannot share or manage permissions
• Cannot delete the design

Use Cases:

• Junior designers contributing to projects
• Freelance specialists adding specific elements
• Team members working on assigned sections

Viewer

Read-only access to view the design without making changes.

Capabilities:

• View the design in full detail
• Navigate and explore the 3D room
• Cannot make any modifications
• Cannot share or manage permissions
• Can provide feedback through comments (if enabled)

Use Cases:

• Clients reviewing designs
• Stakeholders providing approval
• Sales team members presenting to customers
• External consultants reviewing work

Visibility System

The visibility system controls who can discover and access your room design. This works in conjunction with the permission system to provide layered access control.

Visibility Levels

Opened (Public)

The room design is publicly accessible and may appear in public galleries or search results.

Access:

• Anyone can view the design
• Listed in public portfolio pages
• Discoverable through community features
• Shareable through public URLs

Recommended For:

• Portfolio pieces showcasing your work
• Marketing and promotional designs
• Community contributions
• Educational examples

Hidden (Link-Only)

The design is not publicly listed, but anyone with the direct link can access it.

Access:

• Not listed in public galleries
• Accessible via direct URL only
• No authentication required for viewing
• Cannot be discovered through search

Recommended For:

• Client presentations
• External stakeholder reviews
• Sharing with non-registered users
• Temporary access needs

Example Workflow:

1. Set design to “Hidden” visibility
2. Generate and share the link with client
3. Client views without creating an account
4. Change to “Closed” after review period

Limited (Collaborators Only)

Only specifically designated collaborators can access the design.

Access:

• Requires explicit permission grant
• Users must be added by Owner/Admin
• Requires user authentication
• Not discoverable by others

Recommended For:

• Active team projects
• Confidential client work
• Controlled collaboration
• Work-in-progress designs

Workflow:

1. Owner/Admin invites specific users
2. Each user receives their permission level
3. Only invited users can access
4. Owner/Admin can revoke access anytime

Closed (Private)

Maximum privacy - only the Owner and Admins can access.

Access:

• Owner and Admin roles only
• Completely private
• Not visible to Collaborators or Viewers
• Highest level of confidentiality

Recommended For:

• Draft designs in early stages
• Personal experiments
• Confidential projects
• Archived designs

Permission + Visibility Combinations

Understanding how permissions and visibility interact is crucial for proper access control.

Common Scenarios

Public Portfolio Design

• Visibility: Opened
• Permissions: Owner only, or add Viewers for credited contributors
• Result: Anyone can view, but only you can edit

Client Review

• Visibility: Hidden
• Permissions: Owner (you) + Viewer (client)
• Result: Client can view via link, but cannot make changes

Team Collaboration

• Visibility: Limited
• Permissions: Owner + multiple Collaborators
• Result: Only team members can access and edit

Confidential Draft

• Visibility: Closed
• Permissions: Owner + Admin (optional)
• Result: Maximum privacy during development

Managing Permissions

Adding Collaborators

1. Open Room Design settings
2. Navigate to “Sharing & Permissions”
3. Click “Add Collaborator”
4. Enter user email or username
5. Select permission level (Admin, Collaborator, Viewer)
6. Send invitation

Changing Permissions

1. Open “Sharing & Permissions” panel
2. Find user in collaborator list
3. Click permission dropdown
4. Select new permission level
5. Changes apply immediately

Removing Access

1. Open “Sharing & Permissions” panel
2. Find user in collaborator list
3. Click “Remove” button
4. Confirm removal
5. User immediately loses access

Best Practices

For Security

• Use “Closed” for drafts and confidential work
• Regularly review collaborator lists
• Remove access when team members leave projects
• Use “Hidden” instead of “Opened” for client work

For Collaboration

• Grant Collaborator role for active team members
• Use Viewer role for stakeholders and reviewers
• Keep Admin role limited to project leads
• Document permission changes in project notes

For Sharing

• Use “Hidden” links for temporary external sharing
• Set expiration reminders for time-limited access
• Change visibility to “Closed” after presentation periods
• Create separate designs for different client versions

API Considerations

When working with the API, permissions and visibility are enforced at the endpoint level:

• Read operations respect visibility settings
• Write operations require Collaborator permission or higher
• Delete operations require Admin permission or higher
• Permission management requires Admin permission or higher

See API Endpoints for detailed API documentation.

Next Steps

• Explore the Data Model to understand how permissions are stored
• Review API Endpoints for programmatic permission management
• Return to Overview for general Room Design concepts