Why Interactive Media Professionals Need to Think About Ethics

9 June 2011Charlie Mulholland

Welcome (Or why do bloody designers always change stuff?)

Agenda

• What is ethics?

• Why do interactive media designers* need to think about ethics?

• Some thoughts on how designers might do this

• Why should designers bother?

What is ethics?

Ethical does not always mean “legal”

Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3032/3098344728_6393a0b2b0_b.jpg

Not all unethical behaviour is illegal

Source: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1397/5103209989_1b80ed5dd4_b.jpg

Not all laws raise really serious ethical issues

Not everything legal is ethical

Ethics is not the same as a moral system

Source:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/3918806912_cd01fdc7d2_b.jpg

Moral systems consist of values (or ideas of the good)

Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2698/4206363731_d405df68fa_b.jpg

“Ethics begins when elements of a moral system conflict” (Deni

Elliot)

The trolley problem 1

You

The trolley problem 2

YouA fat bloke

Community or individual autonomy?

Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3396/3215375530_44dd1cb6f8_b.jpg

Truth or harm?

Transparency or privacy?

Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/08/ico_speaks_to_facebook_on_facial_recognition_tech/

Freedom of ideas or desert?

Ethics is about finding your way through this maze

But why do interactive media designers need to worry about ethics?

Design decisions are based on values

Values in the goal of the artefact

Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3579/3855182335_8c09bc7731_b.jpg§

Values in the quality of the artefact

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcNeorjXMrE

Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2719/4191632639_8774b0e3d6_o.jpg

Values in the processes used

Values in the actual design decisions

So in effect designers are doing ethics for others

26

Whose idea of what is valuable do/should they use?

Some thoughts on how designers might do this

Use ethical decision models?

…Given the design process probably not!

Examine your own values

Understand different ways of thinking about ethics

Research stakeholders values

Use appropriate tools

Persuasion

Nudges

Scripts

Okay, this is all very well Charlie, but why should we bother?

First the bad news: ethical thinking gives us choices not answers

We may not like any of the choices

But as designers we must choose

Source: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5007/5262645427_a47dba0232_b.jpg

Doing ethics is inspiring

Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2786/4325390829_dfdaf61030_o.jpg

We can explain our choices to ourselves as designers

Further information

• Reading - Approaches to Ethical Dilemmas– Rechtvaardigheid – Michael J. Sandel (http://www.bol.com/nl/p/nederlandse-

boeken/rechtvaardigheid/1001004007574351/index.html)

• Michael Sandel is an excellent teacher and the above book is based on his lectures at Harvard – you can watch these at http://www.justiceharvard.org/

• Reading - Design Tools:– Persuasive Technology – B.J. Fogg (http://www.bol.com/nl/p/engelse-

boeken/persuasive-technology/1001004000738144/index.html)

– Nudge - Richard H. Thaler & Cass R. Sunstein (http://www.bol.com/nl/p/engelse-boeken/nudge/1001004006450765/index.html)

• Tools– Design With Intent – (http://www.danlockton.com/dwi/Download_the_cards)

Thank you for your attentionTwitter: @charliem5Email c.mulholland@hva,nl

Source: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/72/190169989_308029fa25_b.jpg