Values and vision is something that was mentioned in Ben’s lecture often, it felt like it was useful advice I was being given. And then Theresa mentioned it again in our 1:1. I talked about this in my 1:1 this week with my tutor and she also felt this could be something I could tunnel in on and research a little and that it might be quite valuable to my project, so today I’m going to look into the difference and importance of vision and values as a designer.

Notes on Madlyn C.’s “7 Core Values as a Freelance Designer” (2018)

Madlyn C. (2018) outlines seven personal values that guide her freelance design practice, focusing on honesty, collaboration, and client relationships. She argues that strong values are the foundation for meaningful and sustainable creative work.

Her first value, honesty and trust, is central to all professional relationships. She emphasises that trust must flow both ways, the designer must believe in the client’s reliability just as much as the client must trust the designer’s legitimacy. This value underpins everything else in her practice (Madlyn C., 2018).

The second principle, the teammate approach, rejects the idea of hierarchy in design projects. Instead, she promotes mutual respect, recognising that while designers bring creative expertise, clients bring deep knowledge of their brand and audience. Working as equals leads to stronger outcomes and happier collaborations.

Madlyn also values staying on schedule and producing quality work, linking consistency and professionalism to integrity. She insists that deadlines and high standards are part of trust-building and represent respect for the client’s time and investment.

Her fifth value, creativity, highlights originality and curiosity as essential traits. She aims to avoid imitation and produce work that stands out, not blends in.

Finally, she stresses client satisfaction and long-term relationships as signs of success. For her, design is not just about producing good visuals, it’s about maintaining mutual respect, care, and commitment over time.

Key Takeaways for My Research

• Values define how a designer approaches collaboration and integrity in their work. What are my top values as a designer?

Inclusivity, Adaptability, Transparency, Collaboration, Abstract thinking.

Vision: Looking to the Future

A vision statement is a powerful declaration of what a company or project aspires to become or achieve. It acts as a guiding star, shaping decisions, inspiring teams, and communicating purpose to the world. Vision statements often focus on broad concepts, outlining either the impact the organisation hopes to have on customers or the position it aims to hold within its industry.

Here are some inspiring examples of concept-based vision statements from well-known organisations:

• BBC: “To be the most creative organization in the world”
• Disney: “To make people happy.”
• Google: “To provide access to the world’s information in one click”
• IKEA: “To create a better everyday life for the many people”