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This section presents a selection of exercises designed to introduce and reinforce ethical concepts within teams developing digital products. These exercises can be used at different stages of the development of digital products; from developing an idea to testing a product. From accessibility to inclusion to gender biases, a wide range of topics can be addressed.
The Ethic Design Handbook - Blueprints
The Ethic Design Handbook - Blueprints
Ethical Blueprints for the information architecture for apps, websites, digital services and internet of things.
Method : Template / Blueprint for a solid information architecture, in which you can build further, specify and change details.
Time Effort: Little time needed
Material: Four free pdf files to download
When: Before or during the design process
Topic: There are four blueprints available for free to download that demonstrate a possible ethical information architecture for an app, website, digital service, and the internet of things.
Outcome: The Goal is to create a clear and intuitive, already proven structure for the digital product.
Suitable for: Digital products: apps, specifically an fitness-app;
websites, specifically ecommerce;
internet of things, eg. data logge;
a digital service, eg. marketplace selling your products
Who: For professionals working in the digital industry: designers, developers, product owners/managers, entrepreneurs and self-employed, not for consumers
😍 Highlights
Straightforward
Short and fast
Summarised presentation
Offers a good foundation
🤔 Challenges
Not flexible for specific problems
The Digital Ethics Compass
The Digital Ethics Compass
A visual map with 22 ethical questions to ask yourself to avoid the most common design mistakes. Each questions is part of one of the three categories “automation”, “data”, “behavioral design” to ensure right one acts ethically correct when developing new producs and services.
Method: It serves as a visual map or compass with 22 questions to navigate the complexities of ethical considerations in digital product development, ensuring that designers and developers can align their work with certain ethical standards and principles
Time Effort: Moderate, ongoing commitment needed
Material: Free to use tool on their website
When: Could be at any time, but it would be the most effective during the design process
Topic: Automation, Data, Behavioral design
Outcome: Valuation and recommendations
Suitable for: Digital products like apps, websites and digital services
Who: For professionals working in the digital industry: designers, developers, product owners/managers, entrepreuneurs and self-employed, not for consumers
😍 Highlights
Hands-on
You can start using it today
🤔 Challenges
At first a little bit confusing
Normative Design Scheme
Normative Design Scheme
Designed to integrate ethical considerations into the design process. It introduces normative ethics theories to help assess and enhance design goals through ethical lenses.
Method: Introduces normative ethics theories, uses templates for goal assessment.
Time Effort: 30-60 min
Material: The downloadable template can be found here
When: During envisioning, realizing, validating phases
Topic: Focus on ethical considerations in design
Outcome: Morally improved design decisions
Suitable for: Suitable for a wide range of products and services , adaptable to different design contexts
Who: Ideal for design teams
😍 Highlights
Enhances ethical awareness in design.
Provides a structured approach to ethical decision-making.
🤔 Challenges
Requires time to understand and apply ethical theories.
The information architecture of the site is challenging, resulting in the materials not being readily available
Moral Agent
Moral Agent
Ideation game designed to challenge design teams to create ethically inspired designs. It uses moral value cards to stimulate creative thinking, aiming for designs that embody specific ethical values.
Method: Interactive game using value cards and idea generation under time constraints.
Time Effort: 45-60 min
Material: The downloadable template can be found here
When: During the envisioning phase
Topic: Focus on ethical considerations in design
Outcome: Generates a pool of ideas inspired by ethical values
Suitable for: Suitable for a wide range of products and services , adaptable to different design contexts
Who: Ideal for design teams
😍 Highlights
The use of value cards under time constraints can lead to innovative ideas that might not emerge through traditional brainstorming
Engaging and interactive
🤔 Challenges
May require a facilitator experienced in the subject
The information architecture of the site is challenging resulting in the materials not being readily available
De-scription
De-scription
An exercise designed to enhance a designer's ethical awareness by deconstructing and understanding existing designs.
Method: Analyzing the what, how and why of a design through guided questions
Time Effort: 30 min
Material: The downloadable template can be found here
When: During the envisioning phase
Topic: Focus on breaking down an existing product to its core values of what it is, how it is being used, and why does it exist
Outcome: Generates a pool of ideas inspired by ethical values
Suitable for: Suitable for a wide range of products and services , adaptable to different design contexts
Who: Ideal for design teams
😍 Highlights
The use of value cards under time constraints can lead to innovative ideas that might not emerge through traditional brainstorming
Engaging and interactive
🤔 Challenges
May require a facilitator experienced in the subject
The information architecture of the site is challenging resulting in the materials not being readily available
Moral Value map
Moral Value map
An exercise designed to enhance a designer's ethical awareness by deconstructing and understanding existing designs.
Method: Value negotiation and ethical alignments
Time Effort: 30-45 min
Material: The downloadable template can be found here
When: During framing, validating phases
Topic: Focus on human values see picture on the right
Outcome: Ethically aligned on design’s effect on each concern; e.g. how does the design support the user
Suitable for: Suitable for a wide range of products and services , adaptable to different design contexts
Who: Ideal for design teams and stakeholders
😍 Highlights
Emphasizes the importance of core human values in design, which can lead to more user-centric products
Helps teams ensure that their designs are ethically sound and aligned
🤔 Challenges
May require a facilitator experienced in the subject
The information architecture of the site is challenging, resulting in the materials not being readily available
Ethical Disclaimer
Ethical Disclaimer
Designed to help set ethical terms at the project's start. It involves imagining potential unethical scenarios and deciding on responsibilities. This process aids in clarifying intentions and considering the impact on all stakeholders.
Method: Discussion through imaginary scenarios
Time Effort: 45-60 min
Material: The downloadable template can be found here
When: During framing, envisioning, validating phases
Topic: Focus on ethical awareness in design by exploring intention of the design and detection of potential for misuse to address it
Outcome: Enhanced understanding of ethical responsibilities
Suitable for: Suitable for a wide range of products and services , adaptable to different design contexts
Who: Ideal for design teams and stakeholders
😍 Highlights
By exploring potential unethical scenarios, teams can proactively consider and address possible misuses of their design
Establishes ethical terms at the project's outset, which is crucial for setting the right direction for design and development
🤔 Challenges
There is a risk that not all unethical scenarios will be considered, especially more nuanced one
The information architecture of the site is challenging, resulting in the materials not being readily available
Ethical Contract
Ethical Contract
Aims to align stakeholders on ethical grounds through value negotiation. It involves discussing ethical themes, assigning responsibilities, formulating ethical objectives, and committing to these through signatures.
Method: Value mapping through stakeholder engagement by assigning responsibility and exploring ethical values
Time Effort: 30-60 min
Material: The downloadable template can be found here
When: during framing and validating phases
Topic: -
Outcome: Enhanced understanding of ethical responsibilities
Suitable for: Suitable for a wide range of products and services , adaptable to different design contexts
Who: Ideal for design teams and stakeholders
😍 Highlights
By exploring potential unethical scenarios, teams can proactively consider and address possible misuses of their design
Establishes ethical terms at the project's outset, which is crucial for setting the right direction for design and development
🤔 Challenges
There is a risk that participants may view the exercise as a mere formality rather than a genuine commitment.
The information architecture of the site is challenging resulting in the materials not being readily available
Microsoft Inclusive Design for Cognition
Microsoft Inclusive Design for Cognition
Worksheet for Inclusive Design and User’s Cognition
Methods: This worksheet helps the designer team to identify possible mismatches between users’ cognitive abilities (e.g. ability to focus, ability to learn) and the product’s cognitive demands. The worksheet is divided into three steps: (1) Start with motivation, (2) Identify learning styles, (3) Include customer insights. For step 3, it is recommended to use the Cognitive Recruiting: The interactive recruiting guidebook to recruit participants with diverse insights. This worksheet allows to identify which learning styles might not be adequate with a product and develop solutions to improve the product. In parallel, the guidebook on cognitive exclusion offers users more information about each phase and the potential learnings.
Time Effort: Variable as step 3 can be more or less time-consuming
Material: The template can be downloaded here
When: During the conception phase of a product
Topic: Inclusion
Outcome: Personal awareness of the variety of abilities and suggestions for improvement
Suitable for: Any digital product
Who: Designers
😍 Highlights:
Very concise materials and easy to understand
🤔 Challenges:
We would recommend first reading the guidebook before using the worksheet
Motivation Matrix
Motivation Matrix
Actions are driven by six core motivations: incentive (rewards), achievement (competence), social acceptance (belonging), fear (avoidance), power (control), and growth (self-improvement). By mapping these motivations against user contexts, one can predict user interactions with a product, facilitating a deeper understanding of user behavior.
Method : The method involves constructing a Motivation Matrix that maps out different user motivations against potential actions. By categorizing motivations such as incentive, achievement, social acceptance, fear, power, and growth, and relating them to various user personas in different contexts, product teams can predict how users might interact with a product. The matrix is filled in using insights about user motivations (represented with one color of sticky notes) and potential user actions (with another color), which are derived from simplified empathy maps of users.
Time Effort: 1h
When: This exercise is recommended to be done after empathy mapping and during the user experience design phase of product development. It allows for a deeper understanding of the user and should be revisited as more is learned about the user's interactions with the product.
Topic: While the Motivation Matrix itself is not specific to any topic, it can be applied to understand how different users might be influenced by various factors, including issues of inclusion, susceptibility to dark patterns, and gender dynamics. It allows teams to anticipate and design for diverse user needs and motivations.
Outcome: The outcome of this method is a nuanced understanding of user behavior that informs product design. Teams can evaluate the potential actions users might take based on their motivations and context, and develop strategies to encourage positive actions or mitigate negative ones. This results in actionable insights and suggestions for product changes or enhancements.
Suitable for: The Motivation Matrix is suitable for any product or service that involves user interaction and where understanding user behavior is critical to design. This includes digital applications, platforms, and services across various industries such as technology, finance, health, education, and more.
Who: The matrix is a tool for designers, product managers, and user experience researchers to better understand their users and predict how they might interact with the product. It is also beneficial for stakeholders involved in strategic decision-making. Ultimately, the insights gained from the matrix are used to enhance the user's experience with the product.
😍 Highlights:
Maps user motivations to predict interactions, enhancing product design.
Facilitates tailored strategies for diverse user needs.
🤔 Challenges:
Requires in-depth user insights and continuous updating.
Balancing diverse motivations in design decisions.
Tarot
Tarot
The Tarot Cards of Tech by Artefact are designed to encourage reflection on the broader and long-term impacts of technology and product design, aiming to guide creators in developing products that are not only engaging but also contribute positively to society and the future.
Method : The physical or digital "Tarot Cards of Tech" deck and potentially additional note-taking or recording materials to capture insights and decisions.
Time Effort: The time needed to use the cards can vary. It depends on the depth of the conversation and the number of issues addressed.
When: These cards can be utilized at multiple stages of product development, especially during ideation, development, and evaluation phases, to ensure thoughtful consideration of the broader impact of technology.
Topic: The tool tackles broad themes such as inclusion, avoiding dark patterns (deceptive design choices), gender considerations, and the potential for technology to either alienate or empower users.
Outcome: The outcome is a more thoughtful evaluation of the potential impacts of technology. Users of the tool can expect to gain insights that lead to practical suggestions for change, making products more inclusive and ethically sound.
Suitable for: The cards are suitable for a wide range of products and services, particularly those involving digital interfaces, user engagement, and data management.
Who: The tool is intended for designers, product managers, and development teams. It can also be used in educational settings to teach principles of ethical design, and by end-users or advocacy groups interested in the ethical implications of technology.
😍 Highlights:
Promotes ethical reflection on technology’s broader impacts.
Guides towards more socially responsible product development.
🤔 Challenges:
Requires commitment to deep, reflective discussions.
Balancing innovation with ethical considerations.
Maslow Mirrored
Maslow Mirrored
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, a foundational framework in psychology, outlines human needs in five categories, emphasizing the importance of basic needs at the pyramid's base. Later, Maslow introduced a sixth level, transcendence, suggesting humans also seek to assist others in achieving self-actualization and pursue purposes beyond themselves. This framework can be applied to analyze how products or features impact users, recognizing that features often have nuanced effects that can be both positive and negative, despite product teams' intentions for ethical and beneficial design.
Method: Dual Analysis Approach: The method involves systematically analyzing how a product or feature aligns with each level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, considering both the positive impacts (mirroring the right side of the model) and potential negative impacts (mirroring the left side).
Brainstorming and Discussion: Team members collaborate to identify and discuss both the beneficial aspects and potential drawbacks of their product or feature, relating to physiological needs, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization, and transcendence.
Documenting Insights: The findings are documented in a mirrored Maslow pyramid, with positive impacts on one side and negative impacts on the other, facilitating a balanced view of the product's effects on users.
Time Effort: 30 min
When:
Design Phase: Ideally, this analysis is conducted early in the design phase to anticipate and mitigate negative impacts before they manifest.
Post-Launch: It's also beneficial post-launch or during updates to reassess the product's impact and address any unintended consequences that have emerged.
Topic:
Comprehensive Impact Assessment: The focus is on evaluating how digital products and features comprehensively affect users' psychological, social, and physiological well-being.
Ethical Considerations: The tool prompts considerations of ethical design, encouraging the development of features that support well-being and caution against those that may exploit or harm users.
Outcome:
Balanced Product Evaluation: Users of this approach gain a nuanced understanding of their product's impact, highlighting areas where it supports human needs and identifying where it may detract from them.
Guidance for Improvement: The analysis provides actionable insights and recommendations for enhancing the product's positive effects and mitigating negative outcomes, leading to more ethically sound and user-centric design choices.
Suitable for: This method is particularly suitable for social media platforms, communication tools, e-commerce sites, and any digital service that interacts deeply with users' daily lives and psychological states.
Who:
Product Designers and Developers: It equips these professionals with a framework for ethical and user-centric design, encouraging them to consider the full spectrum of their product's impact.
Product Managers and Stakeholders: It aids in strategic decision-making, ensuring product features align with broader ethical standards and user well-being.
Users and Society: Ultimately, the broader society benefits from digital products that are designed with a deep understanding of their comprehensive impact on human needs.
😍 Highlights:
Facilitates a comprehensive evaluation of products against Maslow’s hierarchy, ensuring ethical and user-centric design.
Encourages the development of features that support well-being across all levels of human needs.
🤔 Challenges:
Requires thorough, interdisciplinary understanding to accurately assess impacts across Maslow’s levels.
Balancing product goals with the diverse needs and potential negative impacts on users.
The Inclusive Panda
The Inclusive Panda
The Inclusive Panda model is a simple but powerful tool that can help individuals and organizations design and develop more inclusive and ethical solutions.
Method : The Inclusive Panda model uses a visual metaphor of a panda's head to represent different groups of people who may interact with a product or service. It divides them into five circles:
Head: Represents everyone who uses the solution (participants).
Snout: Represents the target group the solution is designed for (included).
Left ear: Represents people who are excluded from the solution despite potential benefit (e.g., people with accessibility needs).
Right ear: Represents people who are intentionally excluded due to potential harm to themselves or others.
Nose: Represents people who participate but experience negative outcomes, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Time Effort: 15 min
When: The Inclusive Panda model can be used throughout the design process, but is particularly helpful during:
Ideation: To consider the potential impact of a solution on different groups of people.
User research: To identify potential risks of exclusion and unintended consequences.
Evaluation: To assess the inclusivity and effectiveness of a solution.
Topic: The Inclusive Panda model primarily focuses on inclusion in design, but it can also be applied to other areas such as:
Accessibility: Identifying and addressing barriers for people with disabilities.
Ethics: Considering the potential negative impacts of a solution on individuals or society.
Gender bias: Ensuring a solution is fair and equitable for all genders.
Outcome: By using the Inclusive Panda model, users can:
Evaluate the inclusivity of their solution: Identify potential gaps and areas for improvement.
Generate ideas for making their solution more inclusive: Consider different perspectives and needs.
Develop strategies for mitigating risks: Address potential harm to excluded or unwanted participants.
Suitable for: The Inclusive Panda model can be used for any type of product or service, including:
Websites and mobile apps
Physical products
Services and systems
Policy and decision-making
Who: The Inclusive Panda model is valuable for:
Designers: To create more inclusive and ethical solutions.
Product managers: To ensure their products meet the needs of diverse users.
Researchers: To identify and address potential biases in their research.
Policymakers: To develop more inclusive policies and regulations.
😍 Highlights:
Encourages comprehensive inclusivity and ethical consideration in design through a simple, visual metaphor.
Identifies and addresses potential exclusions and negative outcomes across diverse user groups.
🤔 Challenges:
Requires careful analysis and empathy to accurately identify and mitigate risks for all represented groups.
Balancing inclusivity with practical design and development constraints.
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