The Morality of Designing

Some people...well those that are not designers of any sorts...might not realize that anything you design has a moral consequence with it.  Is this chair I am designing going to hurt the user in anyway? Is this public bathroom going to fit the needs of a wheelchair bound user? Can I (designer) design a facility that might be against my personal beliefs?  How does your sense of morality effect the clients you are working with? Some of these questions designers have to face everyday and sometimes only at certain crossroads. If you’re hurting for work, you may feel like you don’t have the option to pick whether or not to take the job that goes against your personal sense of morality. Hey, work is work right? But should you sacrifice your morals for money and how will you feel once the project is over? Especially if your good work helps the cause?

Only you know how badly you need the assignment, the job, the money. Only you know what your ethics mean to you. But if you’re ever asked to do something that you absolutely and truly do not wish to do, then simply don’t do it. Money may be a little lean, but you’ll no doubt thank yourself in the future. Misplaced morals have a way of coming back to haunt you in the future.

I’m thankful that morality is talked about before having to face these scenarios in the real world. One day we all as designers will have to face something like this and at least I will have an idea of where I stand. Especially since everyone has their own strong beliefs. I’m sure deciding whether or not to take on a project based on your beliefs isn’t as uncommon as everyone thinks it might be. It’s ultimately up to you to decide if you can be comfortable working on something you disagree with. Most of the time, the stress is simply not worth the money, so it’s often best to pass on something you strongly disagree with, in my opinion.