As the founder of Pivot Design Group, I’m proud to see how our studio has evolved over nearly three decades. From its beginnings in print and web in 1998, through our transition into design research and UX in 2007 and Service Design in 2017, with everything we do grounded in ethical, human-centred values. As the World Design Organization (WDO) marks World Industrial Design Day with the theme “let’s get ethical,” we’re reminded that ethical design isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation to our process and practice.
Recently, the definition of industrial design has expanded beyond physical products to encompass systems, experiences, and services, bringing design disciplines like UX and Service Design into its fold. At Pivot, we embrace this broadened understanding by applying industrial design thinking to the services and experiences we create. This integration helps us design not just for form or function but for meaning, impact, and ethical resonance across every layer of the experience.
Whether it's our commitment to including diverse perspectives in our projects, leading to more innovative and practical design solutions, or our pivot to life-centred design as a guiding philosophy, ethics inform our decisions and shape our impact. We’ve seen how designing with empathy and integrity— from healthcare tools to virtual counselling platforms— can shift systems, empower communities, and amplify purpose.
On June 29, we join the global dialogue hosted by WDO and Andreu World to explore digital frameworks for ethical practice— an essential step toward ensuring every pixel, interaction, and service we shape carries moral responsibility at its core.