OUGD505 - Design Practice 2 - Product Range Distribution - good: An Introduction to ethics in graphic design

Good: An introduction to ethics in graphic design.

Lucienne Roberts

As explained in this intro section, this book aims to identify values in ethics and make us think abou the decisions we make, and how our ethical choices help shape the world. 

As shown above good practice 'about ideas' not 'design ideas' but life ideas. This emphasis on ideas is something more and more emerging in my practice and I have began to embed ideas within everything, this project ideas will be even more important.

Within the intro the ideas of 'good' practice are brought up, and in essence trying to be 'good' is the best thing you can do. There is a quote that stood out ' Graphic design is a social activity -by its very nature it affects lots of people and with this come a responsibility.' It also highlights some important questions to consider when designing, like 'Does it contribute visually to the world visually to the world which we live?' and 'Is the design efficient in its use of materials and production techniques, and can it be disposed of or recycled without cause harm or involving great cost?' These could all be considered during and after the project and in projects in the future. 

  

The book questions its own ethics and evidences why it is for example 'the content has been thoughtfully conceived to reflect the mixed views of a diverse set of contributors: men and women, young and old, from different backgrounds and cultures.'

It also explains some of the printing information relating to ethics - it for example explains ' Good has been printed in the Far East where waste disposal and employment regulations are not necessarily as easy to monitor as they are within the EU, for example. This necessitated some use of air freight, although bulk transport has been by sea.' These productions considerations will be really important throughout the project. Different printers will have a code of ethics that differ from printer to printer.

It concludes that 'Good is ethical and unethical.' Conflicting objectives make publishing ethically fraught. We want books that are accessible, educative and visually rich or striking.' We also want them to be cheap.' Under the present system, ethical compromise in making mass produced books is almost inevitable. Responsibility lies with us all. Good asks, will change be forced upon us if we don't change first?' 

This page gives an amazing insight into the history of graphic design and ethics and how the First World War and its aftermath revealed the turmoil of forces underlying modern life: industrial, economic, political and social. And that ' Design theorists felt that the old ways of thinking and doing could not be stretched to contain these forces: new mental and physical structures were needed.' This is something I had never considered but is really interesting. It also explains that in the more commercial world the need for more ethical design is really important. 

The most interesting quote from this page is right at the end.

'Graphic design is a potent tool for good or bad, as we can see in war propaganda or political promotion. Truth is an east victim of power. All the awareness and understanding we now possess have failed to eliminate cruelty, oppression and war. Great wrongs have still to be righted on many front in the world community. Electronic communication has now almost destroyed distance and time, so that we have little excuse for not being aware of the world's ills. Practically every decision we make as designers has an ethical dimension we make as designers has an ethical dimension, requiring us all to 'balance the forces' in our own small way as responsible individuals.'

This very politically charged statement shows how important ethics can be in design and an awareness of the social, political, cultural and technological effects of design. 

 This page gives a amazing insight into some of the most iconic, politically, socially and ethically driven design in history. Its great to see the large variety of different projects just showing that it can really take any form. The first things first manifesto by Ken Garland is a project to look at further as it is all about highlighting the impacts and responsibilities of graphic design. Another really interesting piece of work to highlight is the Alan Kitching Why Iraq? Why Now? a really graphic and impacting poster design that portrays its message directly and immediately. The description of the poster explains 'Here words are the image' this is something that is seen many times in poetically charged design work as it can really be hard hitting and direct. 

The book features a very insightful interview with Anthony Grayling a philosophy professor at Birkbeck College. 

In response to a question about the ethical codes of graphic design he answered. ' A list of strict rules would be very difficult to observe in practice, which is always the problem with the top-down ethics. The alternative idea of 'a way of being' is bottom-up, which rests on individuals being conscious of their involvement in society and the impact they have on it. 

'So the answer to the question, 'do designers have a responsibility to try and make the world a more beautiful place?', is yes, whenever possible. It fits into this broad sense of the ethical, which is the nature and quality and meaning of a life.' - Another interesting quote is about the difference between religious people and non religious people it is slightly generalised but interesting never the less. - ' Religious people say that there are supernatural agencies that demand that we live a certain sort of life and thats it is our response to this demand that constitutes our spiritual life. Somebody like me, whose view is naturalistic (that is, who thinks the world is determined by scientific laws), will say that our ethics must be based on facts about human nature and the human condition, and that our emotional and intellectual life arises from how we are constituted.' Previously I hadn't thought about people's religions would change their ethics but it is pretty obvious now. 

He goes on to say, 'Now design, which can so richly enhance the beauty of the world, is thereby adding to the spiritual value of the world.'

the question ' Is all graphic design, apart from information design perhaps, a form of manipulation? - his answer - That (design) has a good and bad side, we should start is that people must be informed and must be aware of different points of view. Its a service to people to be alerted to things and to know about them. In looking at the bad side, we should start by understanding that in itself, design is neutral. It ceases to be neutral in the light of its content.' 

 Labor party member - Delyth Morgan

Answering a question about the problems with the want to do good and the power that comes with politics and its relation to graphic design. 

'I try to remind myself of the seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.' - A great set of principles that could be applied to graphic design practice. 

Asking about graphic design as a political activity through the way it enriches people lives. 

'I think its going to be quite hard to make an impact if your aim is to improve people quality of life by producing aesthetically pleasing graphics alone. But if your trying to convince people to do something or to understand something by producing strong design then i can see you'd make an impact. For me making a difference rates really highly.'

 This section highlights what it takes to be 'good'.. for example - Being polite ' The outward manifestation of this is being polite or having 'god' manners. Regardless of how genuine some of this might be, it is undeniably true that being on the receiving end of a 'please' or 'thank you' does make the world a more pleasant place. Building on this the ideas of plagiarism- 'Creative endeavours expresses something of the inner person, making plagiarism a form of violation. It's also stealing, so it must be 'wrong'. Imitation however, is said to be the sincerest form of flattery, so work that obviously makes reference to others can be a homage - a mark of admiration and respect. The moral difference between the two may not be in the material outcome, but in the intention - whether one sets out to deceive.'

 In relation to freedom of speech it explains 'Graphic design are key players in the communication process because we give form to a message. Our job is to help make it travel further. It can be argued that in so doing we are effectively endorsing the message, and that therefore the decision to take on a particular job should be indicative of our own world-view - of what we think is 'right'.' This is something that I really agree with, working to a message we agree with is vital in graphic design practice. 

The book quotes the influential designer Neville Brody ' I felt it was key to reveal the involvement of the human hand in the process of delivering idea A to destination B... the reader [should] be very aware that someone had been involved in interpreting the idea... I've recognised that the process of communication is a dialogue, not a monologue. I'm not dictating, I'm part of the message that I'm transporting.' - There is a clear contagiousness of the communication and its underlining message. 

Editorial Design/ Interview - Simon Esterson

As editorial design and print is becoming more and more of a fundamental interest in my practice, this interview with Simon Esterson key players of Eye magazine and a advocator of print as a valid and budding industry is very beneficial to look at. 

Speaking about political implications in his practice 'I tend not to work for the Guardian's competitors because you are compromised if you compete with something that youa re involved in.' 

' Is behaving well compromising?'

'We all know people who do fantastic work, but are terrible business people or absolute shits. The kind of drive that gets your idea through is the same drive that gets your idea through is the same drive that makes you difficult to work with. You cannot disconnect the politics and aesthetics of somebody's work and the politics of the way they do their business, can you? But, for most designers somebody's rocky reputation isn't relevant when set against a stunning piece of work - it's this that will live on.'

In relation to print and the processes of printing he explains - 'What does a client do, faced with a quote from printer A, who uses recycled paper and waterless or alcohol-free printing processes, but is ten per cent more expensive? Then there's printer B, based in Britian, but a print broker. You get value for money but have no knowledge of who the printer actually is, and therefore no idea about the process used or labour conditions. Then what about printer C, in China and cheaper that A and B? Its a developing economy, but you know nothing about the environmental circumstances or the labour relations. The repercussions? One is that the British print industry will cease to exist... and that's just the placing of one print job.' 

- It is more clear now that the printer and their ethos come into question much more in print compared to digital design. 

An issue in design that I had not yet highlighted is the idea of 'free pitching' - Simon Esterson explains - 'We don't do it. Ideally nobody would, but that's each designer's ethical choice. I think that a potential client should at least make a contribution towards costs.' I totally agree and think that free pitching is a terrible idea as there is so much work that goes into pitching. Experimental Jetset never take on clients that ask for free pitches as its just not worth it as they can't afford it. 

Asking about money in the design business he states ' I think the more you get paid as a designer, the less control you have over the job. That's my broad theory. its not always true.', 'Money is a fantastic corrupter of aesthetic ideals.'

In response to a question about beauty and ethics he explains he 'got depressed in that period of when graphic designer's justified illegible, visually experimental typography by saying, 'it doesn't matter, the copy's rubbish'. If it is rubbish, don't produce it. I like to think that this doesn't apply to the projects I work on. Editorial clients want people to read what they produce.'

Sheila Levrant de Bretteville

'Politics and ethics impact on your work....', ' For me politics and ethics are more about '...' than '!!!'. Considering all others as equals is both a political and ethical concern. My thoughts move towards ways of making that provide models of inclusion - who and what overlooked and devalued, and how can I bring those at the periphery into public view. This concern, and wanting to keep ambiguities and contradictions intact, has been a defining factor in my work as a designer, artist and educator.' ' I think its important not to make overstatements about what we are as designers do.'

'Can graphic designers contribute socially?' - ' Designers have to make their own choices as to how best to contribute to our shared culture. All graphic design is by its nature social, so it is a matter of which kinds of social engagements are most desirable to you'. This is something I am yet to find, my own voice in design, I think hopefully after this project and reading this book my ideas about who I am and want to be will be much clearer.  

Another really interesting quote from this interview is about who she 'hangs out' with when undertaking a project. ' At a site even at Yale I like to first just 'hang out' in the community where I will be doing my work, getting a sense of what and who is there, and trying to find out what could enhance opportunities to hear and see one another better. Its always a negotiation, but less with who is paying me. Its is more with those those are there now.' - This idea of tapping into the people rather than the client, is interesting and would often lend itself to more well rounded results. 

Looking at Sheila Levrant de Bretteville's website this work for the School of Design, seemed really valuable to highlight. 

This page highlights the work of Luba Lukova asking 'Are you a good designer?' A really interesting point she makes is - Very often we designers think that the general public does not fully appreciate our profession. This is probably true, but the blame is with design itself - not with ordinary people who don't care about cool layouts, trendy typefaces, or superficial provocativeness. What people need from art and design are pieces that stir the emotions and haunt you, and make you think.' This I would agree with for the most part. Design needs to be more, especially today when anyone can be a designer with adobe suite. 

Thes pages show some of Simon Esterson's work alongside a short sumary of his views on 'good' design. Stating - 'Simon Esterson argues that it is simplistic to assume all corporate clients are 'bad'. Organisations that rely on public revenues are largely funded via taxes on business and even individual charity donations may not be 'clear'. A prerequisite to ethical awareness is an acknowledgement of the complexity of the issues involved.' 

Overall this book has been an amazing wealth of research, quotes, visual examples and I hope to apply these ideas to my practice and try to identify my own voice in graphic design.