Is it possible to stay ethical in design without going broke or burning out? That’s the problem Elizabeth Goodspeed explores in this feature, where designers from studios like Pentagram, Koto, and Creech reflect on where (and how) they draw their ethical lines. They discuss everything from refusing projects tied to alcohol or fossil fuels to the slippery ethics of UX dark patterns re: accessibility. Designers share stories of uncomfortable compromises, selective portfolios, and the quiet power of saying no.
Some studios use the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a compass; others rely on personal lived experience and gut checks to guide client decisions. But privilege, power dynamics, and economics always complicate things. This article ultimately challenges designers to think critically about the world their work supports, urging them to pay attention, draw boundaries where they can, and reject the common theme that just because we can’t be perfect, our choices don’t matter.
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