"Ethical from the Beginning"

Peg Faimon will be including this quote in her new book from HOW Design Books. The Designer's Guide to Business and Careers, to be published in 2009.

“Ethics is certainly an important topic for design professionals. It seems to be relevant in almost every aspect of this field. I personally believe that it is important to establish your ethics on these topics early on. If you know where the line is, you will not only know when you have reached it but also what to do in response. Not saying that you have to be completely inflexible, but just know where you stand and have a plan.

In any business, if you don't establish your ethics early on, you won't be around long enough to enjoy the fruits of your labors. People always talk. If you lose a client or a vendor to bad ethics, word will get around. You will not only lose that one client but possibly a few more that you didn't even have the opportunity to meet.

I have even had a few personal experiences with clients who wanted me to be involved with questionable industries...and I will admit that I considered it whole heartedly. But, if you do business with people who have questionable ethics, then when they turn on you, you shouldn't be surprised. At the end of the day, it is your professionalism that is on the line, not theirs.

Graphic Design is a fantastic business, and there is a lot of opportunities out there. I would recommend students take the time to listen to others about bad design experiences. I've been in the business for over 15 years, and I'm constantly amazed at the things designers think they can get away with, but they usually aren't around very long.”

Tammy Fink is the owner and head designer of Blue Water Designs, LLC. www.BlueWaterDesigns.biz