Ethics in Design
Contents
Artist’s Statement
The Deadly Sins of Design
Mind Games
The Pillars of Ethics
About the Artist
Artist’s Statement
Whereas the skills of a designer are objectively neutral, their means of use is capable of having a marked adverse effect on the greater community around them. While societally negative outlets for design skills exist, there are other options which have a neutral or even positive impact. Designers across all fields have the ability to make ethical choices in their careers and projects to positively impact the world around them.
The intention with this work is to explore the current environment of ethical choices in design and provide some education on the subject to designers who have not previously considered it. The subject matter of ethical design is communicated in several comic books elucidating the various principles and pitfalls involved. The comic books draw primary inspiration from “Chick Tracts”. Chick Tracts are fire and brimstone religious pamphlets written in a comic book format and created by Baptist evangelist Jack Chick. The pamphlets are noted for their intolerance and being extremely hyperbolic, engendering an ironic following.