Ethics In Design

Ethics in design

Ethical design in charity and issue based advertising. Ie: Should you charge to design for a charity? 

After some thought on this matter I come to the conclusion that charging a charity for your design is acceptable but under different circumstances. If a designer was newly established and had just got into the industry I think it would be up to the designer weather to charge or not as designing for a charity can spread your name and make yourself more known in the freelance graphic world. Some people may speculate that charging a charity is right in every way as your spending time and effort to create and design for them as you would in any other company, what would you gain from designing for a charity with no pay?

Should you design for a charity you do not agree with?

Would designing for a charity you don't agree with make you a hypocrite? This would be a matter of your own personal morals and if you are comfortable in designing for something that you do not believe in. Morals may change if there was a salary to be considered, many designers would design for something they don't believe in as at the end of the day they will still get pay and get a greater form of recognition. In some cases designing for someone or something you don't believe in may change the outcome of your finished piece as you might not be motivated and interested in what your doing.

Should charities spend their money on design at all?

In some cases spending money on design would be ethical as advertising raises the awareness of a charity which may lead to further donations and increase the charities income. Given that people may be against charities spending money on design as they might feel that money could go to greater use in which the charity is for and that spending money on design can come at a risk and it may not raise awareness and may not increase the charities income ending in a loss.

Are designers part of the process of selling inappropriate goods or promoting bad companies?

In some cases yes, a designer is part of the process in selling inappropriate or promoting bad companies. This is because for example a designer has to design for a cigarette company his/her job will be to promote the product in any way possible to increase sales and raise the awareness of the product, depending on the designers way of thinking the end product could result in promoting a product which isn't seen as ethical. Others may say no because a designer is given a job to do and he/she has to fulfil it in any way they see fit so its not the designers fault in any way as its down to the company which message they want to get across their product(s).


What should a designer refuse to do?


I feel a designer should refuse to do what goes against his morals and isn't for the greater good. Designing something which will increase or do any harm to someone which isn't ethical. A designer should refuse something which he would not do for example: If a designer saw a poster and thought thats wrong, that changes the target audience or aims it at an inappropriate audience.


How can you square this with making a living for yourself?


As a designer charging companies for your design is ethical as you have to make a living out of your profession. This is where a designer may have no morals when it comes to designing as designing for any company for any product wont matter because your getting paid at the end of it, but how may this effect your person? will people view you as a designer that has no ethics and only wants money in his back pocket? or does he want to be know as a designer that sticks to his morals regardless of the salary.


What role should the designer take in promoting sustainability?


As a designer in order to promote sustainability you need to think ahead and also think in a different form in the future as opposed to here and now. I believe a designer should be payed more as sustainability is something which is added on and isn't always taken into consideration when designing for something. In order to design promoting for sustainability a designer has to do more work and spend more time in researching products which are designed in this way.


Unpaid internships?


Pro's

• Experience in the industry.
• Possibility of a full or part time job.
• Another company may recognise you.
• Port folio pieces in outcomes.
• Self experience what its like to work in a real design environment.

Con's

• No salary
• Own cost of travel which results in a loss
• Looked down upon.
• Making tea