Quick Projects: A response from the professor..!

I do not know if my questions to Paul Nini were interesting, considered or even original, however, Mr. Nini very graciously sent a reply. It came within a few hours as well and I thank him for taking the time and trouble to reply.

gavin:

thanks for getting in touch. it's always good to hear from someone who's read my writings, and who asks thoughtful questions. the scenario you raise is quite possible, and raises an interesting point.

in the statement you quote, i was referring more to functional issues -- i.e. enabling viewers to successfully access and utilize information for specific purposes. in fact, the entire passage (from the suggested additions to the AIGA’s existing publication on ethics) reads:

"Designers must advocate and thoughtfully consider the needs of all potential audiences and users, particularly those with limited abilities such as the elderly and physically challenged."

which is to say that we should not assume that everyone has excellent vision, mobility, etc. the number of elderly in the population is larger than it's ever been, and designing for this viewer group will become more and more important in the coming years. in architecture and industrial design this approach is referred to "inclusive design" -- which i think is equally applicable to our efforts.

so, to finish this point, i'd like to direct you to another article of mine on the AIGA site, which deals with typography and the aging eye. please see:

http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/typography-and-the-aging-eye

now, back to your question. i don't think it's truly possible to fully consider every possible audience beyond the target group in the computer game example. but that doesn't mean that some consideration shouldn't occur.

the type of imagery that you mention might also he somewhat harmful to younger children, and might certainly be offensive to others beyond one's grandmother. still, it can easily be argued that it's very effective for the intended audience.

what we have in this situation is the need for a designer to make an ethical decision. personally, i don't think that market considerations should outweigh ethical ones, and i would refuse to participate in a project requiring such imagery. but that's easy for me to say, since i make my primary income as an educator. a designer who works solely with clients wouldn't necessarily be able to be so choosy.

the reality is that such a client will always be able to find a designer to work on such a project, even if others turn it down. ultimately all ethical choices are personal, and they will differ from designer to designer. creating a strict standard that we all must live by is impossible -- but continuously raising the question is important, as we need to be reminded that our choices have ethical ramifications.

i hope this reply answers your question somewhat. please feel free to follow up with any further comments.

best wishes to you, your tutor, and your peers.

paul nini

professor of design
ohio state university