Imagine a sandy beach...

where drawing a line marks your space. This line is your boundary, clear and essential.

In design, boundaries are like that line in the sand—they define what’s acceptable and what’s not. They ensure you can make choices that reflect your values and ethics. Boundaries aren’t just about saying “no”; they are about creating safe, respectful, and productive spaces for everyone involved.

Think of Johnny Castle’s famous line from Dirty Dancing: “This is my dance space, this is your dance space. I don’t go into yours, you don't go into mine.” It’s a simple yet powerful metaphor for boundaries in action.

In practice, boundaries involve four things: setting, maintaining, enforcing, and honouring them. They can be communicated verbally or non-verbally and are crucial for upholding your standards and protecting yours and others wellbeing.

By understanding and implementing boundaries, you enhance your ethical design practice, fostering trust and respect within your team.

Where and how will you start setting clearer boundaries?

You’ve got this.

Love,

PS. Next week we'll take a trip around the boundary lifecycle...

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