Study Task 7 - CoP Project Statement

Throughout completing this brief I have explored the way in which personal ethical beliefs should take precedence over professional beliefs in order to continue thriving in changing your practice, thus improving. Through my initial research I began looking into the ideas of other designers and what they say about their personal opinion on professional values, most simply described by Steff Geisbuhler (2010) as “a major ethical dilemma is to be hired to work for a client whose products, services or actions are harmful, criminal, politically unacceptable, or promoting violence and war, foster morally unacceptable opinions or actions” a designer faces this dilemma each and every single day. Although it is becoming more accepted to say no and stand your own moral beliefs, even if the client does not particularly have the same stance issue you can be pushed to convince them, as identified by SophieThomas, ‘Sometimes the most interesting jobs are those clients who aren’t ethically minded but can be persuaded or pushed!’.

This led to me having an understanding of the way in which designers perceive their work, and how they valued their work. It is widely understood that it is hard for designers when they start out to turn down work, as they need a name within the industry, Johnathan Baldwin (2006) argues ‘it’s not too difficult to refuse work if you are financially secure, but being principled can be an unaffordable luxury’. Although I agree with this statement due to the natural way in which the hierarchy of the industry works, I decided to challenge this within my visual exploration. The creation of the zine that actively highlights the positives of saying no to a client and sticking to your own ethical moral beliefs shows the way in which saying no can have its negative connotations removed and actually benefit oneself as a designer. My further research allowed me to gain an understanding of the way in which successful designers use this technique within their everyday practice, although not taking directly positive points from the quotes from designers, the quotes in which they are talking clearly explains the way in which they had turned down work which had led to other things. Through doing so they are remaining professional yet also withstanding their personal beliefs.

By raising the awareness of the positives that can come out of turning back down from a client it gives young designers the confidence to do so. The product itself was aimed towards young designers and therefore created as such, this is aimed towards young designers that they are still learning their own practice in developing their own visual style and voice. Because of the nature of trying to develop a larger portfolio and understanding of the industry itself younger designers are more prone to saying yes to every project. Therefore, something is needed to allow them to understand that this isn't the case.

In terms of design and believe I created an outcome which successfully fitted with the brief, and was also something which could be further expanded and produced on mass production.