I created this resource after taking a course on the ethics of design in my Master of Design Management & Communications program at Georgetown University. This was one of my favorite classes and was a catalyst for a significant mindset shift in my career. Through the combination of studying ethics and psychology, along with comprehensive learning on design thinking practices, I identified empathy as the core of my career priorities. This prompted me to implement my own set of guidelines to serve as a north star throughout my future career development so that I could apply empathy to everything I do.


After creating my own personal code, I was able to rely on it in all aspects of my day-to-day, including freelancing/contracting, my full-time job, continued education, and even in my everyday personal life. Whenever I encountered something that felt outside my ethical comfort zone, I referred back to my guidelines rather than questioning the gray area.

Eventually, my teammates and colleagues recognized the benefits of my approach. Our company established a code of ethics as a year-end OKR, which we worked towards as a team. We were then able to implement this approach externally with clients, which was incredibly successful.

To create the list of values, I first referred to other design codes such as AIGA’s Standards of Professional Practice and The Little Book of IDEO for inspiration. I aimed to create a concise core list specific to my personality and career that an end audience could easily utilize. Identifying my core values was the initial step of the process, but once I had determined the values that mattered most to me in my career, I was able to shape the guidelines around them. Ultimately, I settled on 5 core values that felt personal and impactful to me as a creative professional: human-centered design, intentionality, continual iteration, social responsibility and equity, and accountability.


Ethics were a repeated topic of discussion when I was working in the world of creative advertising. Unfortunately, because of this, I have had many external stakeholders make requests that extended beyond the boundaries of my personal comfort zone. In such situations, I relied on my code to counter those requests.

For instance, once I worked with a brand that asked our team of designers to remove toxic ingredients from their informational content and assets. Thanks to our team code, we were able to suggest a more ethical solution that didn't mislead consumers and still successfully promoted the product and increased conversions.

The code is meant to serve as a guide for your personal limitations so that you can know when to set boundaries as a professional and when you need to come up with more creative solutions within your problem-solving techniques.

This list of stakeholders can vary from person to person and even from situation to situation. The provided code is intended to be a general guide and can be adapted to meet the specific needs of different projects or teams. If you are using the code within a team of designers, encourage them to collaborate and create their own list of stakeholders that are most relevant to their work. Similarly, if you are using the code in your own career, customize it to fit your individual needs.


Hayley Moro

I created this guide as a North Star aimed at promoting ethical design behavior. It outlines values and principles designers can follow to ensure their work is responsible, respectful, and centered around the end user.

The designer code of ethics is a set of guidelines aimed at promoting ethical behavior among designers. It outlines the values and principles that designers should follow to ensure that their work is responsible, respectful, and centered around the end user. The code covers a wide range of topics, including social responsibility, accountability, and equity. It begins by highlighting the importance of establishing personalized values as a designer and then delves into the responsibility that designers have to ensure that their work has a positive impact on society. It emphasizes the need for designers to consider the long-term consequences of their work and to prioritize the well-being of users, communities, and the environment throughout the course of their career in the industry.


A comprehensive designer code consists of three essential sections that cover all relevant values and guidelines.

The first section is the Statement of Values, which defines the designer’s values and their significance within the given context. This serves as a foundation for the ethical guidelines that follow.


The second section identifies and lists all stakeholders involved in the design process and outlines how the code will impact them, which is crucial for ensuring responsible and intentional design.

The third section provides specific and measurable guidelines to help the designer enact the code. These guidelines serve as an ongoing source of truth and provide clarity on ethical considerations related to the design process. By outlining such statements, designers can remain accountable and ensure their work aligns with the code’s values and objectives.

This section outlines the core values that I hold as a designer. These values serve as guiding principles that will inform all of my decisions and actions within the context of my professional environment. The values listed in this section are human-centered design, intentionality, continual iteration, social responsibility and equity, and accountability. Each value is defined and explained to provide a clear understanding of

 what they mean and how they will be implemented

I believe that design should be driven by empathy and understanding. I should strive to place the needs, wants, and goals of a diverse group of users at the center of my design process.

I believe in creating with intention—every design system or element should serve an effective purpose. I should strive to ensure that each design decision contributes to the overall objective of the project.

I believe the design process requires continual learning, testing, and iteration. The product or project is never completed – I should continually identify how it can improve and adapt.

As a designer, I should strive to create positive change through my designs and avoid designs that have the potential to perpetuate discrimination or inequity. I believe in creating designs that are inclusive of all, regardless of ability or background.

I believe that I am the primary individual responsible for the impact of my design systems. I should not only be seeking out feedback to improve my designs, but also proactively exploring other avenues for critique and input.

This section defines the various stakeholders and audiences who will be impacted by the work I do on a day to day basis. It lists out key stakeholders, such as clients, collaborators, the end user, and the wider community. For each stakeholder, I’ve outlined my responsibilities towards them and how I will ensure their needs and concerns are addressed. As a designer, I have a duty to take into account the impact my work will have on society and the environment to ensure there are no negative consequences of my creations.

As a designer, I recognize the importance of aligning my personal values, feelings, desires, and actions with my professional work. I hold myself accountable to my statement of values to ensure that I am consistently acting in a way that reflects my commitment to ethical design practices.

The individuals or groups of people who will be impacted by the designs I create are a top priority for me. I am committed to using human-centered design practices and I will strive to create designs that are accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all users, regardless of their background or ability.

I recognize that clients and collaborators have entrusted me with their ideas, goals, and resources, and I am obligated to act in their best interest. I will communicate effectively, collaborate openly, and deliver high-quality work that meets their needs and goals, but never compromises the end-user.

As a member of the design profession, I have an obligation to uphold the ethical standards of the industry and to contribute to the collective knowledge and growth of the field. I will strive to be an active and engaged member of the professional community, sharing knowledge, best practices, and constructive feedback.

I believe that designers have a responsibility to consider the broader impact of their designs on society and the environment. I will strive to create designs that promote positive change and avoid designs that have the potential to incite discrimination, inequality, or harm to the planet.

This section outlines the specific guidelines I will follow to ensure my design systems are ethical, responsible, and sustainable. I take my ethical responsibilities seriously and am committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, accountability, respect, inclusivity, and transparency in all aspects of my work. By following these guidelines, I can ensure that my work is of the highest quality and that I am serving the best interests of my end users, clients, and stakeholders. These guidelines should serve as an ongoing reference/map for how to conduct myself in the industry in a way that maintains my core values.

- I will prioritize user needs by incorporating users throughout the design process through brainstorming sessions, focus groups, and co-creation sessions.

- I will conduct user research and testing to ensure that the design system meets the needs and expectations of the intended audience.

- I will consider accessibility as a fundamental aspect of the design and adhere to relevant accessibility standards to ensure the design is usable by diverse groups of people.

- I will prioritize usability and functionality in every design decision, while still striving to create visually pleasing designs.

- I will collaborate with clients and stakeholders to ensure that their goals and objectives are aligned with the design systems and that every design element is purposeful.

- I will avoid incorporating design elements solely for the sake of aesthetics and instead prioritize their contribution to the overall user experience.

- I will regularly conduct usability testing and gather feedback from end-users and clients to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to the design.

- I will proactively seek out new design trends and technologies to stay up to date and continually enhance the effectiveness of my designs.

- I will monitor and analyze consumer reports, reviews, and satisfaction levels to gain insights into how the design is being received.

- I will seek out diverse perspectives throughout the design process—particularly from individuals who may be underrepresented or marginalized.

- I will create design solutions that will promote positive change, reduce discrimination and inequality, and foster social equity.

- I will work to minimize any negative environmental or societal impact in my design systems by considering and analyzing the full life cycle of the design.

- I will take responsibility for any negative impact, mistakes, or shortcomings in the design process and work to improve them in future projects.

- I will conduct multiple rounds of feedback and review before releasing any design to the public.

- I will gather feedback from stakeholders both inside and outside the design process to ensure there is no bias.

Contact hayleymorodesign@gmail.com with any questions

Designer Code of Ethics by Hayley Moro

Designer Code of Ethics

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