While our offices were closed on Monday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Liam and I watched the Netflix documentary, 13th. The documentary is about race, the justice system and mass incarceration in America. It talked about the Black Lives Matter movement and how it’s about asking the question, “Whose lives are valuable?” While we continue to think about what we learned from the film and what it means for us, the question of whose lives are valuable has me reflecting on our team values – and about the work we do as designers.
It may seem like a far stretch to make a connection between a documentary on race and mass incarceration in America and the work we do as designers and marketing consultants. While it may be that design and marketing don’t directly reach the prison system on a day-to-day basis in a tangible way, I am curious to consider how we can use the work we do at LBDesign to do better in the world. The issues we face as a society are everyone’s to face, and that’s where I see the connection between asking ourselves how “Whose lives are valuable?” within the context of our work.
Values and Results-Driven Design
The work we do includes designing and building websites, designing logos and business cards, and similar projects. While a website is technically no more than a bunch of files connected to the internet, they really are so much more than that.
For small non-profits, a website supports survivors of genocide by creating an avenue through which to raise donations. The small daycare business’ website supports families by providing them with a calendar of events and other important documents for keeping their children safe and for providing parents and caregivers the flexibility they need in their schedules. For the psychiatrist, a website helps those who are looking to improve their mental health by introducing them to someone who can help them change the trajectory of their lives.
A Recommitment to Our Values
As I continue to think about the documentary and the question “Whose lives are valuable?”, I know and believe that every life is valuable. I am inspired to recommit myself to our core values. I am committed to shifting my perspective away from thinking mostly in terms of PHP, HTML, and CSS, and towards the results produced from a given piece of work.
To learn a bit more about our values or to get in touch to chat, please visit our Mission and Values page or send us a note. We’d love to get to know you.
