1. The importance surrounding ethics is a critical aspect to understand for designers to be aware of when creating work. If designers are to take resources from online such as images, logos, and design elements, they have to give credit if it is free or follow the rules of the license provided. This is the ethical approach every designer must take otherwise they may face consequences that can affect their career.
Professionalism is a crucial segment of our lives as we transition toward our careers and during internships. According to the AIGA Guide on Standards of Professional Practice, “A professional designer adheres to principles of integrity that demonstrate respect for the profession, for colleagues, for clients, for audiences or consumers, and for society as a whole.” Interning at OpenLab has been an eye-opening experience from the start. I was put into a professional environment that taught me workplace etiquette. To succeed at the internship, we were expected to be professional, attentive, and responsive in any situation. The Internship took place through Zoom, and as a result, it established that interns are to have cameras on and ready to speak as part of being professional. Furthermore, to be respectful in any online interaction and throughout the internship. All this is part of the intern’s duty to have the understanding and values to be a leader in the industry.
1A. What makes OpenLab a distinguished internship is its dedication to ethics and commitment to better serve OpenLab users and the students at City Tech. OpenLab is committed to upholding ethical design practices and ensuring that we also follow their values. The Internship taught us the importance of ethically attaining online resources that have no copyright restriction. According to the AIGA Guide to Copyright. “Fair use permits someone to use work without permission for a purpose that is basically not going to compete with or injure the market for the work, such as using a design in an article about the designer’s career.” From AIGA, I learned the difference between fair use and free use is that free use can be used commercially and non-commercially and can be adjusted. On the other hand, fair use can be used without permission and with limited access. During the early stage of the internship, interns were assigned the task of sharing facts about OpenLab on the Buzz.
During our meeting, we discussed sites that allow the use of images that are free or paid to use for the task. As mentioned by AIGA Use of Photography, “In using stock images the designer has to be careful not to exceed the license from the stock agency.” For my work, I used free images and made sure to check the license page for the guidelines. Double-checking can ensure that I will have no problem using the image. Our supervisors provided interns with instructions on proper ways to include attributions, highlighting the rooted commitment to ethics in design.
1B. Interns were not required to sign any confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with OpenLab. The only paperwork I signed or filed with the company was an internship agreement form. I understood without being told that I couldn’t speak on things that should stay confidential. It was emphasized that we maintain professional behavior to maintain the image of the organization. I will be sure to follow any guidelines my supervisors may provide for me and as a designer. As interns, it is a mutual understanding of trust we create between the organization and us.
“Guide to Copyright” AIGA. (2001). PDF. New York City; Richard Grefé, AIGA.
“Use of Photography” AIGA. (2001). PDF. New York City; Richard Grefé, AIGA.
“AIGA Standards of Professional Practice.” AIGA, www.aiga.org/resources/aiga-standards-of-professional-practice. Accessed 19 May 2024.Â
