"Seeking recognition for something that is not entirely one's own work only creates distrust and resentment. If one is really the source, then another is not likely to get far claiming credit". - The Wisdom of the I Ching, Eyler Robert Coates, Sr
Ethics In Design
Table of Content:
- Review of Ethics in Design
- Definition of Ethics
- Study of Ethics
- Ethics and Social Responsibility
- Conducts of Designer
- Ethical Guidelines Resources
- Presentation on Ethics
- References
A quick review for Ethics in Design
Most important for a designer in understanding design, is the study of "Ethics." In the text they state, “being human-centered also ensures that designers are truthful and open in their design practice” (Benyon 25).
Good design should be aesthetically pleasing and ethical because it will enable the user to not only enjoy the product but it will ensure that it will not cause any harm. Realistically it’s hard to find design that incorporates both elements. If a designer wants to act in an ethically responsible manner, “it is imperative to put forth personal effort in understanding ethical conflicts rather than trying to follow any predefined safe rules... As stated "Ethics is a process of learning – not a process of obedience” (mlab).
There are many ways designers can learn about ethical practices. For instance the web has thousands of site dedicated to ethical guidelines. A few sites are listed below for later reference. First, its important to start with defining "Ethics."
Definition: What is Ethics?
Ethics is “a (rational) study of moral dilemmas in (human) action. Morals are shortly defined as codes or guides of conduct (implicit or explicit) that are based on personal long-lasting beliefs and values or those of surrounding society. A personal act can be considered moral, immoral or amoral from the point of view of ethical studies.
Moral - an act or though that is in line with personal and societal moral codes.
Immoral - an act or thought that is against personal or societal moral codes.
Amoral - an act or thought that does not reflect choice based on moral codes” (mlab).
It is very easy to understand that almost any act or thought can be considered both moral and immoral at the same time, if one considers proper points of view. However, this does not make the study of ethics (i.e. The study of moral dilemmas) any less significant: just like in design there are no single right solutions – only choices that have pros and cons attached to them.
To prepare yourself for the multitude of ethical considerations you can start by examining your own stance as a designer, your own values, who you are designing for and what kind of values are you trying to embed in your design solutions and why?
Study of Ethics
Victoria and Albert Museum examined the restrictions of ethical design. They looked at the Emeco Hudson chair, designed by Philippe Starck. The design is effective because its ethics are just as strong as its aesthetic. “It is made from 85% recycled aluminum, an exceptionally durable material, which can be recycled again at the end of its long life”(Victoria and Albert Museum). Although the cost of these chairs are very high, it tends to make the end user appreciate the design even more. In the study they noted the Emeco Hudson factory “has good pollution control and its aluminum manufacture process is hydro-powered, both of which significantly reduce the footprint of the product, improving its ethics in turn” (Museum). This chair is successful because it utilizes environmentally friendly materials and is very aesthetically pleasing this is how good design should be.
Shel Perkins in her study of Ethics and Social Responsibility has created guidelines for designers to follow in daily business interactions.
Conducts of Designers
AIGA supports the use of original illustration in design solutions. Illustration can provide a unique sensibility to certain projects. The list below offers insight into professional practices and ethical considerations within the illustration community.
■ Illustration offers visual solutions to design challenges.
Illustration can transcend the limits of the written word. It is an art of opposites, an intricate
dance between art and commerce that is created by people who find freedom in solving visual riddles and in filling dictated space with inventiveness, creativity and added value.
■ Select an illustrator based on previous work.
■ Price is directly related to use.
■ Every agreement should exist in writing.
Once the appropriate talent has been selected, negotiations begin taking into account the following criteria: rights, usage, schedule, exclusivity, complexity, extended rights and, in some cases, the reputation of the talent selected.
■ It is important to work with professional integrity.
■ Original artwork belongs to the illustrator.
Ethical Guidelines Resources
As mentioned above here are example ethical guideline websites:
Click Here > Presentation On Ethics
Victoria and Albert Museum examined the restrictions of ethical design. They looked at the Emeco Hudson chair, designed by Philippe Starck. The design is effective because its ethics are just as strong as its aesthetic. “It is made from 85% recycled aluminum, an exceptionally durable material, which can be recycled again at the end of its long life”(Victoria and Albert Museum). Although the cost of these chairs are very high, it tends to make the end user appreciate the design even more. In the study they noted the Emeco Hudson factory “has good pollution control and its aluminum manufacture process is hydro-powered, both of which significantly reduce the footprint of the product, improving its ethics in turn” (Museum). This chair is successful because it utilizes environmentally friendly materials and is very aesthetically pleasing this is how good design should be.
Ethics and Social Responsibility
- Respect other designers in fair and open competition
- Be honest when you are describing your professional experience and competencies
- Avoid any type of conflict of interest
- Acquaint yourself with each client’s business and provide honest and impartial advice
- Maintain the confidentiality of all client information
- Eliminate any form of hidden compensation or kickback
- Maintain commitment to the development of innovative work of the highest quality
- Reject all forms of plagiarism ethics and social responsibility
- Acknowledge authorship of others who have collaborated with you in creating a design
These guidelines can help reduce misunderstandings and ethical decisions for designers. A successful design should implement all these guidelines and make the work appeal to all.
Conducts of Designers
A professional designer MUST adheres to principles of integrity that demonstrate respect for the profession, for colleagues, for clients, for audiences or consumers, and for society as a whole. These standards define the expectations of a professional designer and represent the conducts of a designer in the practice of design.
With reference to the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Design Business and Ethics series: Outlined are the critical ethical and professional conducts to be applied by designers on the subjects below:
1. Use of Fonts
Fonts are creative, intellectual property, similar to 'designers' creative work or to proprietary business products. Since type is so ubiquitous and fonts are so easy to share among computer users, the legal and moral issues of the simple process of using a font are often overlooked.
There are four good rules that guide ethical practice in font licensing:
■ If you are using a font, whether it’s on your computer or that of someone else, make sure you have a license to use the font.
■ If you want to use a font that is not installed on your computer, you must either ensure that you or your employer has a license to install the font on your computer or else acquire a license to use it.
■ If you have any questions about your font license, contact the foundry or supplier of the font.
(If you do not know the foundry or supplier, almost any foundry or supplier can help you identify the source.)
■ Don’t lend or give fonts to others to use. Your friends, clients and colleagues need to acquire the rights to use them. When it comes to licensing fonts, ethical practice makes sense legally and financially. Violating the terms of a license agreement puts the designer, the client and future business relationships at risk. An ethical approach to font use and font licenses is therefore both good business practice and good business.
2. Use of Software
Just as design is a designer’s creative property, computer software is intellectual property that is owned by the people who created it. Without the expressed permission of the manufacturer or publisher, it is illegal to use software no matter how you got it. That permission almost always takes the form of a license from the publisher, which accompanies authorized copies of software.
When you buy software, what you’re really doing in almost every case is purchasing a license to use it. Rather than owning the software, you acquire limited rights to use, reproduce and distribute the program according to the terms spelled out in the license.
3. Use of Media (VT Audio / Video / Photography)
Use of Media ( Audio / Video / Photography ) in design work involves choice and responsibilities. With the growth of digital libraries of different media format (audio, videos and images), stock photography has become far more accessible to every designer, although there are also strong reasons to commission photography specifically for a project. It is ethical to review the options available to designers, considerations in contracting for the rights for use of any media format, photographic images and the means of using photography while fully respecting the intellectual property rights of the photographer.
4. Use of Illustration
With reference to the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Design Business and Ethics series: Outlined are the critical ethical and professional conducts to be applied by designers on the subjects below:
1. Use of Fonts
Fonts are creative, intellectual property, similar to 'designers' creative work or to proprietary business products. Since type is so ubiquitous and fonts are so easy to share among computer users, the legal and moral issues of the simple process of using a font are often overlooked.
There are four good rules that guide ethical practice in font licensing:
■ If you are using a font, whether it’s on your computer or that of someone else, make sure you have a license to use the font.
■ If you want to use a font that is not installed on your computer, you must either ensure that you or your employer has a license to install the font on your computer or else acquire a license to use it.
■ If you have any questions about your font license, contact the foundry or supplier of the font.
(If you do not know the foundry or supplier, almost any foundry or supplier can help you identify the source.)
■ Don’t lend or give fonts to others to use. Your friends, clients and colleagues need to acquire the rights to use them. When it comes to licensing fonts, ethical practice makes sense legally and financially. Violating the terms of a license agreement puts the designer, the client and future business relationships at risk. An ethical approach to font use and font licenses is therefore both good business practice and good business.
2. Use of Software
Just as design is a designer’s creative property, computer software is intellectual property that is owned by the people who created it. Without the expressed permission of the manufacturer or publisher, it is illegal to use software no matter how you got it. That permission almost always takes the form of a license from the publisher, which accompanies authorized copies of software.
When you buy software, what you’re really doing in almost every case is purchasing a license to use it. Rather than owning the software, you acquire limited rights to use, reproduce and distribute the program according to the terms spelled out in the license.
3. Use of Media (VT Audio / Video / Photography)
Use of Media ( Audio / Video / Photography ) in design work involves choice and responsibilities. With the growth of digital libraries of different media format (audio, videos and images), stock photography has become far more accessible to every designer, although there are also strong reasons to commission photography specifically for a project. It is ethical to review the options available to designers, considerations in contracting for the rights for use of any media format, photographic images and the means of using photography while fully respecting the intellectual property rights of the photographer.
4. Use of Illustration
AIGA supports the use of original illustration in design solutions. Illustration can provide a unique sensibility to certain projects. The list below offers insight into professional practices and ethical considerations within the illustration community.
■ Illustration offers visual solutions to design challenges.
Illustration can transcend the limits of the written word. It is an art of opposites, an intricate
dance between art and commerce that is created by people who find freedom in solving visual riddles and in filling dictated space with inventiveness, creativity and added value.
■ Select an illustrator based on previous work.
■ Price is directly related to use.
■ Every agreement should exist in writing.
Once the appropriate talent has been selected, negotiations begin taking into account the following criteria: rights, usage, schedule, exclusivity, complexity, extended rights and, in some cases, the reputation of the talent selected.
■ It is important to work with professional integrity.
■ Original artwork belongs to the illustrator.
Ethical Guidelines Resources
As mentioned above here are example ethical guideline websites:
- American Institute of Graphic Arts http://www.aiga.org/
- Graphic Artists Guild http://www.gag.org/
- Industrial Designers Society of America http://www.idsa.org/
- Society of Graphic Designers of Canada http://www.gdc.net/
- Australian Graphic Design Association http://www.agda.com.au/
Presentation On Ethics
References: Works Cited
Benyon, David & Turner, Phil & Turner, Susan. "Designing Interactive Systems." Addison- Wesley pg 25.
Ethics 2006. Thinkcycle http://www.thinkcycle.org/tc-notes/show-note?tc_note_id=59056
Ethics picture www.metroactive.com/.../ ethics-9651.html
Mlab. http://mlab.uiah.fi/polut/Yhteiskunnalliset/lisatieto_ethics_primer.html
Museum, Victoria and Albert. http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/catetrotter/yr2ethicsessay.html
Perkins, Shel. "Ethics and Social Responsibility" http://www.stepinsidedesign.com/STEPMagazine/Article/28481
Right wrong picture: http://huizen.daxis.nl/~henkt/plaatjes/good-and-evil.gif
AIGA Design Business and Ethics http://www.aiga.org/design-business-and-ethics/
AIGA Standards of Professional Practice http://www.aiga.org/standards-professional-practice/
AIGA Design Business and Ethics http://www.aiga.org/design-business-and-ethics/
AIGA Standards of Professional Practice http://www.aiga.org/standards-professional-practice/
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