Graphic Design
Ethics, Accessibility, and Copyright
There's more to design than just design- it's also important to engage ethically with your design work. That's easier said than done, but the resources below can help you learn more and approach your design thoughtfully.
Ethics
There are several important ethical topics to consider. The following resources tackle spec work and more.
- What Are “Ethics in Design”? This link opens in a new windowPeople in the field are calling for more ethical decision-making—What does that mean?
- Diversity & Inclusion in Design: Why Do They Matter? This link opens in a new windowThoughtful article by Antionette Carroll on the AIGA website.
- No!SPEC Website This link opens in a new windowNO!SPEC discusses spec work and how it is detrimental to designers and clients.
Accessibility
It is important to consider the accessibility of your designs as you create them. Print and digital media will have different considerations, but accessibility should be part of your process for both. The following resources may help you learn more about accessibility and design concerns. Accessibility is much easier when it is considered early in the design process.
- 7 Things Every Designer Needs to Know about Accessibility This link opens in a new windowThis article is an easy to read introduction to accessibility in design.
- WebAIM Contrast Checker This link opens in a new windowWebAIM is a great resource for accessibility, including their easy to use contrast checker.
- ADA Standards for Accessible Design This link opens in a new windowThe Department of Justice’s revised regulations for Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) were published in the Federal Register on September 15, 2010. These regulations adopted revised, enforceable accessibility standards called the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, "2010 Standards."
- Create Accessible PDFs Section508 This link opens in a new windowExplore tips and collected resources for creating accessible pdfs.
- Introduction to Web Accessibility This link opens in a new windowLearn about Web Accessibility.
Copyright
U.S. copyright law provides the creator of original works expressed in a physical form exclusive rights to copy, distribute or perform their work. A general understanding of copyright, both how it protects you as a designer, and how not to infringe on the copyrights of others with your work, is important. Explore the Copyright Guide, linked below, to learn more.
Many folks release their creative works for use by others using open licenses- these are licenses that allow others to retain, reuse, revise, remix and redistribute their work. Explore our Open Educational Resources guide to explore many collected resources that you're free to reuse or remix. This guide includes educational resources as you might guess from the name, but also includes photos and other resources.