https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-make-remote-working-work-your-team-george-marrash/
While a graphic design intern for Unity For Equality, I paid close attention to the importance of ethics in creating visuals that would communicate effectively and uphold my mission of helping promote the purpose of Equality, and understanding AIGA’s ethical guidelines provided a frame for how I could properly communicate my task.
The first thing that caught my attention was the importance of image sourcing. The AIGA guild of use of images emphasizes that when representing others’ work, it has to be honest and have integrity regarding the copyright. During my first week, I was assigned the task of creating a social media post, and I faced a situation where I found an image that fit my design. Still, when I looked into it, it was not for unrestricted commercial use, so I changed the image to another that can be used.
Another area where AIGA’s ethics played a crucial role was in the use of the organization’s logos and trademarks. I was tasked with incorporating Unity For Equality’s logo into various social media materials. AIGA also talks about the importance of maintaining the integrity of visual identity, and this was particularly critical for a nonprofit organization that needed to maintain consistent branding across all platforms. There was a template for Equality with their logo and color code, which was strictly there in every design. At the same time, Unity For Equality provided the organization’s brand guidelines carefully to understand the logo’s correct placement, color palette, and size. There were moments when I was tempted to change something of the logo to fit a design space. But knowing that altering or distorting the logo would dilute its meaning and recognition. Instead, I adjusted my design layout and ensured the logo was always presented with the proper respect and clarity.
As an intern for Unity For Equality, I gained experience and presented my skills to help those in need. These experiences I have had will be with me for a long time. Understanding ethics ensures that I use images responsibly or incorporate a logo correctly so the company’s identity is presented clearly in all my designs. Ethics reminded me how my design choices could affect the organization’s mission of delivering a message through my work. AIGA’s ethical standards helped ensure my design reflected the organization’s purpose and meaning. I want to be my best and provide my ethics as an individual designer and for the organization.
Currently, in the beginning of my internship, I haven’t been signing any confidentiality agreements, expect an voluntary agreement from the organization which needed me to put my personal information but other then that, I haven’t been interacting which these agreements. It’s sure that when signing anything, making sure that everything is understandable, and there’s isn’t a contract with affecting yourself as a designer.
