Ethics and human values are rarely considered when technology systems are designed, and the focus is more often developing functional, reliable and efficient systems (Friedman, 1997). Similarly, HCI classes typically emphasize usability, and ethical issues are limited to a brief discussion of conducting research with participants and informed consent. However, systems can reflect moral values (Friedman, 1997) such as human agency, inclusiveness, and integrity. Students of HCI should consider their role in the values reflected in the systems they work on. The Ethics and Design Module is a series of Special Topic class sessions that focus on both ethical questions raised by technology designs and methods for including ethical considerations in the design process.
The Ethics & Design Module is funded by the Rapaport Everyday Ethics Across the Curriculum Initiative at Union College.
Class Sessions and Readings
Class Session 1: Introduction to Ethics in Design
Can computers be morally responsible for actions? Can system designs promote responsible computing or, conversely, can designs create a diminished sense of agency and responsibility for the moral outcomes of technology use? What moral values can designer impart on systems? What methods exist for considering the ethics of system design throughout the design process?
Feng, P. (2000). Rethinking Technology, Revitalizing Ethics: Overcoming Barriers to Ethical Design. Science and Engineering Ethics, 6(2), 207-220.
Friedman, B. & Kahn, P.H. (1997). Human Agency and Responsible Computing: Implications for Computer System Design. In B. Friedman (Ed.), Human Values and the Design of Computer Technology. Stanford, CA: CSLI Publications.
Friedman, B., Kahn, P.H. & Borning, A. (2002). Value Sensitive Design: Theory and Methods (UW CSE Technical Report). Seattle, WA: University of Washington.
Class Session 2: Participatory Design
Participatory Design (PD) is a design method that involves end users as full participants in the design activities for a new system. Many researchers and practitioners use it as a way to promote the value of democracy by giving a voice to disempowered groups, such as workers or children. What is PD? How is it used? And how does it promote values?
Muller, M.J. (2003). Participatory Design: The Third Space in HCI. In J. A. Jacko & A. Sears (Ed.), The Human-Computer Interaction Handbook: Fundamentals, Evolving Technologies and Emerging Applications, pp. 1051-1068. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Druin, A. (2002). The Role of Children in the Design of New Technology. Behaviour and Information Technology, 21(1) 1-25.
Class Session 3: Ethics in Social Technologies
Increasingly, human-human communication is mediated by technology. In addition, technology, such as virtual agents, is being developed to replace a human in social interactions. How does technology-mediated communication affect moral behaviors such as lying? Is it ethical for technologies to anthropomorphize interfaces?
Bos, N., Olson, J., Gergle, D., Olson, G., & Wright, Z. (2002). Effects of Four Computer-Mediated Communications Channels on Trust Development. Paper presented at the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, San Jose, CA.
Hancock, J. T., Toma, C., & Ellison, N. (2007). The Truth about Lying in Online Dating Profiles. Paper presented at the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, San Jose, CA.
Sharkey, N., & Sharkey, A. (in press). The crying shame of robot nannies: an ethical appraisal. Interaction Studies.
Class Session 4: Universal Design
Is it our moral responsibility as designers to make systems equally available and usable to all users regardless of individual differences such as ability, culture, income, gender, age, etc.? Is this even possible from a design perspective? What are the trade-offs to designs that are universally usable? What technologies and design methods exist for supporting universal usability? Special Needs (ability) and culture will be used as cases for examining these questions.
Foucault, B.E., Russell, R.S. & Bell, G. (2004). Techniques for Researching and Designing Global Products in an Unstable World: A Case Study. Paper presented at CHI2004, Vienna, Austria.
Lazar, J. (2007). Introduction to Universal Usability. In J. Lazar (Ed.), Universal Usability: Designing Computer Interfaces for Diverse User Populations (pp. 1-12). Chichester, West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Marcus, A. (2003). Global and Intercultural User-Interface Design. In J. A. Jacko & A. Sears (Ed.), The Human-Computer Interaction Handbook: Fundamentals, Evolving Technologies and Emerging Applications, pp. 441-463. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Meyers, B.A. & Wobbrock, J.O. (2005). Text Input to Handheld Devices for People with Disabilities. Paper presented at the 11th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Las Vegas, NV.
Tartaro, A. & Cassell, J. (2008). Playing with Virtual Peers: Bootstrapping Contingent Discourse in Children with Autism. Paper presented at the International Conference of the Learning Sciences, Utrecht, the Netherlands. ACM Press.