In 2006, David Berman gave a lecture at our School of Design. It resonated for both teachers and students because it reflected keenly on the work, the responsibilities, and the identity of the designer, touching on the school’s slogan: “Design for the People.” Afterward, I told him my hope that this book would be published in China someday. A huge design industry was born of our booming economy, almost overnight. Thousands of designers tirelessly service the economic engine, sparing no time to think of David’s issues. This book will cause our designers to explore who they are and what they do.

Perhaps we chose to be designers to create beautiful objects. But do we bring something unexpectedly negative to society, along with that beauty? Are we helping make our environment unlivable?

We think of ourselves as designers, not decision makers; lacking a strong voice to change society’s behaviors. We fail to admit our responsibility for the decline of the natural environment. We must reevaluate, and discover our share of influence.

We are often urged to put commercial interests first. But when one re-examines our social responsibility, you see the truth in David Berman’s words: to do good rather than just do good design benefits both society and the enterprise.

It’s an honor to be a colleague of David’s on the Icograda board. David pushes designers around the world to reflect on their duties, and to design for universal access. His actions have a large influence on many people, and thus on the global environment.

Design that is conducive to the planet and to humanity is good design. Design that is aesthetic and benevolent is good design. In the end, we must bring these aspects together.

Min Wang is dean of the Central Academy of Fine Arts School of Design, China’s premier design school, and design director for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.