Questions are increasingly being asked about the impact of our work, no matter what the domain, on the lives of others and on the planet itself. This has been part of a long-running discussion within the design community, which has the ability to reach large numbers of people and trigger changes in thinking. Accordingly, design competitions have begun to arise that make a point of rewarding work that is "positive" in nature, although of course this distinction is open to interpretation. For example, in a totalitarian state, is it a positive act to design posters advocating the violent overthrow of the powers that be?

The competition, which is an initiative of the San Francisco chapter of the AIGA, describes the nature of eligible entries thusly: "All design work entered in the competition must promote or support social good and actively engage in enriching our lives. For example, it can raise awareness about a cause or condition. It can celebrate an arts institution or event. All we ask is that it doesn’t contribute directly to the profit of a commercial organization."

The deadline for entries is November 9, 2007, with more information and entry forms available on the AIGA SF site.