Designers Deserve Better Manifesto

Designers Deserve Better

‍We are not your unicorns.
We are not your interns.
We are not your “nice-to-have.”

We are designers — across UX, UI, product, industrial, game, service, graphic, and physical systems. And we are tired of being overworked, underpaid, misunderstood, and disrespected.

The Problem

Across the design industry — from tech to toys to games — we see the same patterns:
-Job listings that demand 5 roles in one
-Unpaid tests disguised as hiring challenges
-Burnout-level expectations paired with entry-level salaries
-No accountability for companies who bait and switch, misrepresent roles, or extract free labor
-Design has become a dumping ground for responsibilities no one else wants to own — and yet we’re still the first to be laid off.

This isn’t about title inflation.
It’s about dignity, clarity, and sustainable creative work.

What We Stand For

We believe in:
-Clear roles and responsibilities, not Frankenstein job posts
-Paid design work, even during hiring processes
-Respect for design as a craft, not just a task list
-Transparency in contracts, scope, and expectations
-Community support, because too many of us are isolated, broke, and burnt out

We Say No To:
-Job listings that combine UX, UI, research, frontend, strategy, motion, branding, and pitch decks into one role
-“We need to see your take-home redesign” without compensation
-Working nights and weekends to make up for bad planning or nonexistent teams
-Being told to “wear many hats” when that just means doing 3 people’s jobs with 1 paycheck

We’re Building
-A global movement — starting in Germany — to set ethical standards in the design industry.
-A shared code of role clarity and experience tiers across all creative disciplines
-A public flagging system to call out misleading, exploitative job listings and companies
-A pledge system for companies who want to hire ethically and transparently
-A community of designers who support and protect each otherAnd ultimately: a partnership with a creative union for real enforcement, legal support, and systemic protection

Looking for Allies

We’re building this in Germany, but the vision is global.
We aim to create a lasting, scalable standard for creative job roles — and a real support system for the people behind them.

If you're a design leader, hiring manager, or senior creative, we want your input.
We’re assembling a team to co-create role standards for each major design discipline — including clear definitions for entry, mid, senior, and lead positions.

This framework will power the flagging and accountability system, identifying:
-Underpaid or mis-scoped jobs
-Unethical hiring practices
-Fake “entry-level” roles requiring years of experience
-Companies abusing free creative labor

This isn’t a top-down decree.
It’s a collaborative standard, built by the people doing the work.

If You’re a Company…Do better.
Design is not a wishlist. It’s a practice, a profession, and a partnership.If you respect design, prove it — in how you scope your roles, compensate your people, and support your team.

This Is the Beginning
We are not disposable.
We are not “non-essential.”
We are the foundation of how products feel, function, and last.
‍Designers deserve better — and it starts now.