More to “Design Responsibility”
Quote from Elisabeth:
“It just brings to light what a lot of us already think ; that we have a much greater and important role to play in the society. It just says ” Come on you guys ! Let’s face our responsibilities”.
It is exactly the same thing as she’s saying : design, graphic design, visual communication… isabout problem solving and it rarely gets to look at the real problems. It is, not entirely, but highly “misguided” and it needs to be balanced, to change. This is REALITY !”
I believe that we as designers are not only there to make things “nice” I hate if I hear a friend/client…saying “just make it look nice” first of all I get disturbed by the word “just” because in some cases it devalues our work. I know there are certain things that have to be designed quick and nice and their purpose is not so important. But lets talk about things that are important. We can play an important role in the field of Problem Solving issues. Where does our responsibility start?
I think it is always the right time to stand up for certain ideals it naive, one should always try to get in the claws of a big retailer and become small slave of the industry. I know it is al about the money but I also believe if you have a strong focus and you know what you want then get together with right people and do it. It is the more uncomfortable road to take but do we want to choose the easy way out? I have been to a great talk recently, it was from the design studio Mind Design”. These guys are really doing great stuff and they are very small and they will stay very small and they don`t earn a lot of money but they are true to themselves. They said, that they don`t understand why people (Ba students or even MA students) come to them and want to do an internship. Some of the applicants where so good/talented that they could start their own business. The best thing for them to get experience would be to do an internship at a Printer! And that we should have more cuts and get started instead of hesitating and doing one internship after another and end up in a position where we never wanted to be.
But now I drifted away from the the problem solving issue but what I wrote or trying to say is that out start is the beginning of taking responsibility in Design! Here is the movie about the toxic products we use and we design (package)
Take a look at this webpage it really wakes you up!
Posted on February 22, 2011, in Manifesto. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
MAGD Group R 
“..each individual action matters. So, whether it is being thoughtful about what we buy, taking time to vote or spending a few extra moments in friendly conversation with a printer, it is possible to make a difference.” Lucienne Roberts, in Good: An introduction to ethics in graphic design (2006).
and some institutions, such as the AIGA, have some programs which uses design to make a positive impact on society. One of them is the Inneract Project.
http://aigasf.org/initiatives/education_outreach/inneract_project
it might be a “feel good” action but, at least, it is an action which helps kids in poorer areas. Here’s a description of the program from their website (above)
“The Inneract Project was developed to introduce, teach, and inform inner city youth about careers in design through classes, field trips and awareness programs.
IP was started and still continues in Seattle; however, with the support of AIGA SF, we have expanded the program to the Bay Area. IP’s goal is to bridge the gap between local neighborhoods and the design community and to expose young people to different creative fields. To achieve our goal, the Inneract Project is encouraging the local design community to participate by supporting our program through teaching, volunteering and giving.
Interested in teaching?
We would like teachers to commit to 1-6 classes, based on their availability. Sessions run a maximum of six weeks, are held on Saturdays from 9:30am to 2:00pm, and are free to all middle school age kids. Class size is limited to 16 students and each teacher will have at least one volunteer to aid them. We will also need volunteers to assist teachers.
Teachers may select their own subject matter or refer to an Inneract Project guidebook of assignments for ideas. The middle school curriculum is heavily focused on conceptual and critical thinking, so classes shouldn’t rely on computers unless the use of technology is the primary focus.
For more information about teaching an IP program or for examples of student projects, please visit our website at http://www.inneractproject.org or email getinvolved@aigasf.org.
Want to volunteer?
If you are interested in joining the IP Team please send your name, phone number, and particular interests to getinvolved We always need people to help fulfill our goals and we’d love to hear from you. Volunteers who join the IP team assist in overall development, organizing classes, events and fundraising.
Want to donate funds or equipment?
The Inneract Project needs funding, supplies and equipment in order to continue our pursuit of offering free design classes for local inner city youth. To make a tax-deductible donation or learn about other ways you can support IP, visit Inneract Donations”