The impact of social ethics on IA and interactive design Experiences from the Norwegian woods

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Karl Johan Sæth Information Architect UX Even though he loves fishing Karl Johan has spent most of the last 12 years developing IA and interactive concepts.

Even though he loves fishing Karl Johan has spent most of the last 12 years developing IA and interactive concepts.

Ingrid Tofte Interaction Designer UX Apart from freezing a lot, Ingrid has spent the last 12 years of her life designing interactive solutions.

Apart from freezing a lot, Ingrid has spent the last 12 years of her life designing interactive solutions.

Why do we want to talk about ethics? Ethics as a recurrent theme Our experiences through several projects The Norwegian perspective (cultural)

Ethics as a recurrent theme

Our experiences through several projects

The Norwegian perspective (cultural)

How does ethics influence IA and interactive design? Discussed through three different case studies

Discussed through three different case studies

What is ethics? A set of principles of right conduct A theory or a system of moral values moral code, morals, morality, values, rights and wrongs, principles, ideals, standards (of behavior), value system, virtues, dictates of conscience.

A set of principles of right conduct

A theory or a system of moral values

moral code, morals, morality, values, rights and wrongs, principles, ideals, standards (of behavior), value system, virtues, dictates of conscience.

Spheres of Ethics Personal

Spheres of Ethics Social

Spheres of Ethics Global

Norway is in many ways a regulated society Marketing Alcohol Smoking Taxes Equality of genders

Marketing

Alcohol

Smoking

Taxes

Equality of genders

The government controls 31.6% of publicly listed companies Norwegians enjoy the second highest GDP per-capita in the world

Statistics Norway Cost of Living in Norway United Kingdom USA Norway

As of 2007, Norway´s population numbered 4.7 million. In recent years, immigration has accounted for more than half of Norway's population growth

Case I: Vinmonopolet www.vinmonopolet.no

Which one?

Too much?

Vinmonopolet Why did the solution turn out as it did? Restrictive legislation Customer’s interpretation of legislation Balancing the tightrope between ethics and technical/conceptual possibilities

Restrictive legislation

Customer’s interpretation of legislation

Balancing the tightrope between ethics and technical/conceptual possibilities

VS

VS

VS

VS

VS

Vinmonopolet Designing within a restricted domain with defined ethics More www.vinmonopolet.no

Designing within a restricted domain with defined ethics

More www.vinmonopolet.no

Case II: Egmont www.univers.no

Egmont Why did the solution turn out as it did? Building a positive and responsible brand Primarily target parents, not children Avoid gender stereotyping

Building a positive and responsible brand

Primarily target parents, not children

Avoid gender stereotyping

Egmont Using ethical awareness as a competitive advantage More www.univers.no

Using ethical awareness as a competitive advantage

More www.univers.no

Case III: Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) www.sft.no/co2/

Statistics Norway Concerns amongst Norwegians Poverty Discrimination of woman Hygiene Education Environment 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 %

Avoid E-commerce metaphors such as shopping carts etc…

SFT CO2 Why did the solution turn out as it did? Distinguish the solution – an official site Public opinion: Avoid negative attention and annoyance Increase credibility: Avoid commercial metaphors Increase traffic: Based on tradition and social ethics

Distinguish the solution – an official site

Public opinion: Avoid negative attention and annoyance

Increase credibility: Avoid commercial metaphors

Increase traffic: Based on tradition and social ethics

Visual: SFT CO2 V – What if?

SFT CO2 quotas How an understanding of social ethics can be used to impact on society through design More www.sft.no

How an understanding of social ethics can be used to impact on society through design

More www.sft.no

Summing up Vinmonopolet: Designing within a restricted domain with defined social ethics Egmont: Using awareness of social ethics as a competitive advantage SFT CO2: How an understanding of social ethics can be used to impact on society through design

Vinmonopolet: Designing within a restricted domain with defined social ethics

Egmont: Using awareness of social ethics as a competitive advantage

SFT CO2: How an understanding of social ethics can be used to impact on society through design

Implications Ethics considerations is inevitable for IAs and designers Design is always based on interpretation of ethical rules Design is bound by social and ethical imperatives

Ethics considerations is inevitable for IAs and designers

Design is always based on interpretation of ethical rules

Design is bound by social and ethical imperatives

Implications cont. Enhanced awareness of ethics facilitates powerful design Competitive advantage by designing for the cultural ethical individual This gives us great responsibility!

Enhanced awareness of ethics facilitates powerful design

Competitive advantage by designing for the cultural ethical individual

This gives us great responsibility!

Recommendations Increase ethical awareness Identify ethical aspects in each project/solution

Increase ethical awareness

Identify ethical aspects in each project/solution

A methodology of ethics?

Project Business req. User req. Ethical aspects Ethics req. Ethical imperatives ! ! ! Ethical spheres Global Social Individual

Identify ethical aspects Analyze these through the different ethical spheres Identify ethical imperatives Deduct ethics requirements from these

Identify ethical aspects

Analyze these through the different ethical spheres

Identify ethical imperatives

Deduct ethics requirements from these

Ethics versus user experiences The discussion of ethics is more than a a discussion of good and bad user experiences User experience Individual sphere, in its nature hedonistic Ethics Different spheres, addresses consequences just as much as experience

The discussion of ethics is more than a a discussion of good and bad user experiences

User experience Individual sphere, in its nature hedonistic

Ethics Different spheres, addresses consequences just as much as experience

Comments – Questions? … LoveUX

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Thank you! Karl Johan Sæth [email_address] Ingrid Tofte [email_address] LoveUX

Karl Johan Sæth [email_address]

Ingrid Tofte [email_address]