Key Insights

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  The Juul cigarette case exemplifies how human-centered design can be weaponized to exploit human behavior rather than help it.

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  Good design principles alone, like Dieter Rams’ 10 principles, are insufficient without an ethical framework.

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  Most design practices rely on a BYOE (Bring Your Own Ethics) approach, causing ethical inconsistency across teams and projects.

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  Power asymmetry in design projects often places designers at the ‘pointy end,’ limiting their ability to influence or refuse harmful work.

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  Greater Good Studio practices regular ‘breakups’ with clients or projects when ethical concerns arise, which requires courage and collective team agreement.

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  The design industry is drawn to comfort and capital, values that often appeal to the most powerful and can accelerate harm.

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  Despite designers’ efforts to get 'a seat at the table,' design at scale may amplify harm if ethical considerations are not prioritized.

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  Systematic accountability measures such as licensing, accreditation, and a code of ethics could help reduce design-related harm.

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  Social sector design demands deliberate and careful interventions beyond commercial design’s capital and comfort focus.

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  Collective ethical practices and frameworks can empower designers to say no and shift power toward marginalized communities and social good.

Notable Quotes