This is Part II of a series of solutions to pro-bono design by the Washington, D.C. design community.
In this second installment, we take a look at an interesting new angle on doing design for the greater good, then explore a resource that connects designers and non-profits in need.
In 2006, the Art Directors Club (ADC) hosted Designism, an event spear-headed by ADC Vice President Brian Collins, and dubbed by the ADC to be “a debate over advertising and design as instruments for social and political change.” Kurt Andersen, Milton Glaser, Jessica Helfand, George Lois, and James Victore comprised an all-star panel — moderated by Steven Heller — that “debated” the role design and graphic designers play in solving the problems of the world. The talk kicked off a larger discussion in the design community.
Fast-forward to the Designism 2.0 and 3.0 events in 2007 and 2008, respectively. What started as a debate and call-to-arms has given birth to actual examples of design work for a number of social and political causes.
Another invaluable piece that came from the Designism dialogue was designismconnects, a web site that partners idealist.org and the ADC. It serves as a forum to connect meaningful social causes with designers by allowing non-profits to post their project needs and designers to post samples of their work.
In a few short years, Designism has evolved into more than just a venue for designers to show-off their meaningful work to their peers and discuss the ills of the world; it has provided an example of “how you can make something that has a larger impact,” as Collins said.
This idea of making a larger impact is what Collins wants the design community to really glean from Designism and all of the discussion surrounding it.
“How can you take these values into your daily dialogue with clients and still pay the rent?” Collins said, adding that Designism provides an opportunity for designers to compare their own work “against people who are really doing it.”
So, who is really doing it? The answer to this question can be debated and discussed, but ultimately the answer lies in how you want your work to impact your local community and society on a whole. Collins believes that designers can — and should — use their own careers for change; that designers should have a seat at the table when it comes to socially responsible design. Instead of dividing your time between work that pays the bills and the work that you really believe in, try incorporating a social conscious into your day-to-day responsibilities so you can have the opportunity to do both socially and financially rewarding work.
In today’s world, companies are no longer solely judged on their “bottom line.” They are also being judged by “the larger contribution they are making,” said Collins. This larger contribution can be measured by the triple bottom line, a widely used methodology coined by TOMS Shoes. TOMS gives a pair of shoes to a child in need, thereby using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good.
Regardless of what side of the discussion you fall on regarding designers as agents of social and political change, our community has always been at the forefront of shaping trends and decisions, and my hope is that we can all bring a little more good to the world through our chosen professions.
Other Good Resources
In our next installment on pro-bono design, we are looking to highlight local resources for connecting designers with pro-bono opportunities. If you have a unique solution to pro-bono design that you would like to share with the community, send your ideas to publications@adcmw.org or leave us a comment below. We love to hear what the community thinks.
I hope you keep up this column for sometime. Very good!