mad*pow's ciara taylor and samantha dempsey at barnraise

@DesignersOath #BarnRaise2015

D E S I G N E R ’ S OAT H


DESIGNER’S OATHA MAD*POW PROJECT



HUMAN FLOURISHING!!!



doctor designer

ability to impact human life



DESIGNER’S OATH



Touchpoint 7-1 27

servi c e des i gn p ol i c y

We can learn from other professions, like healthcare, where those who practice medicine acknowledge their responsibility by swearing to uphold the Hippocratic Oath. This binds them to a clearly defined set of rules that guide the ethics of their interactions with patients. Likewise, designers now have the ability to impact human health, so we need a similar code of ethics to guide us.

As modern designers, we recognise that we are not the first design group to think about the ethics of our practice. Small groups of designers have been writing about this, starting in 1964 when Ken Garland published First Things First, a manifesto focusing on the responsibilities of designers working in advertising. In 2007, the Designer’s Accord project was founded by Valerie Casey to bring designers, educators and business leaders together to define guidelines around sustainability in design. Next, David Berman wrote the 'Do Good' pledge in 2009 to encourage graphic designers to pledge ten percent of their professional time to 'doing good' while simultaneously adhering to moral codes in their work.

Designers are responsible for creating

more than ever before: not only

designing services, but also experiences,

environments, products and systems for

millions of people. With this increased

influence, we must take a step back and

recognise the increased responsibility we

have to those we design for.

A Designers’ Hippocratic Oath

servi c e des i gn p ol i c y

4 I will remember that there

is unwavering optimism

to design as well as prag-

matism, and that warmth,

empathy and understand-

ing ground the visual lan-

guage, interactions and

experiences of our physi-

cal and digital solutions.

I will not be ashamed

to say 'I know not', nor

will I fail to call in my col-

leagues when the skills

of another are needed to

create the best possible

experience for my users. Annie Wu


D E S I G N E R ’ S OAT HD E S I G N E R ’ S OAT H




doctor designer

DESIGNER’S OATH



D E S I G N E R ’ S OAT H+




I will remember that I do not design for a

__________________ or a __________________ ,

but a human being, whose choices may affect the

person’s family and economic stability. My responsibility

includes these related problems, if I am to design adequately

for __________________ .

I will prevent __________________ whenever I can,

for prevention is preferable to reaction.


D E S I G N E R ’ S OAT HD E S I G N E R ’ S OAT H

@DesignersOathwww.designersoath.com @DesignersOath #BarnRaise2015



DESIGNER’S OATHDO ONLY GOOD