12 designers and researchers from 8 European cities discuss the impact, sometimes harmful, of design on our societies and the paths to follow for designers to work for the good of all and not just a few.
Every day we use objects, services and applications designed by all kinds of designers. But does this mean that everything a designer conceives is done in our interest? Some interfaces are designed to get all of our attention and some products are designed to die prematurely. With this in mind, it becomes obvious that the design of any product can be a moral dilemma: designers must balance their own economic survival, the financial interest of the client and the well-being of the user.
These dilemmas are a constant for designers and it is essential to create a space for reflection and to define an orientation for the profession which is currently incredibly sparse, i.e. to define an ethical code for design. It’s out of the question to leave the present and future generations of designers indifferent to the impact of their profession and to the value of their responsibility. That’s why this documentary was made for.
The question of ethics must be raised now if we want designers to gain autonomy and relevance in the face of the real stakes of our societies. Ethics is a permanent questioning of what is desirable for the good of all and it is unthinkable that designers do not take their part in this questioning.
This documentary is meant to be interactive, follow this link to discover it: ethicsfordesign.com
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