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Ethical by Design: How to Build Good Technology

The document outlines principles for ethical technology design, emphasizing responsibility and fairness, as well as the importance of considering potential harm and user autonomy. It suggests using frameworks like affordance theory and ethical totems to guide design decisions and address moral trade-offs. Additionally, it stresses the need for inclusivity and accountability while prioritizing ethical commitments in technology development.

Technology◦
ETHICAL BY DESIGN: HOW TO BUILD GOOD TECHNOLOGY Matt Beard DRMATTBEARD @MATTHEWTBEARD
ETHICAL TECHNOLOGY KNOWING WHAT’S RIGHT DOING WHAT’S RIGHT NOURISHING WHAT’S RIGHT
ETHICAL TECHNOLOGY KNOWING WHAT’S RIGHT DOING WHAT’S RIGHT NOURISHING WHAT’S RIGHT
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' 'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat. 'I don't much care where -' said Alice. 'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat. – LEWIS CARROL, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Image sources: MIT Technology Review, Strategy Bridge, UX Planet
Existentialism Virtue Theory Consequentialism ETHICAL THEORIES Teleology Contractualism Deontology Relational Ethics
Existentialism Virtue Theory Consequentialism Teleology Contractualism Deontology Taking Responsibility Bringing Out the Best in People Good Outcomes Doing Your Job Using Power Wisely Honouring Commitments ETHICAL COMMITMENTS Relational Ethics Showing You Care
PR00. OUGHT BEFORE CAN The fact that we can do something does not mean that we should. PR01. NON-INSTRUMENTALISM Never design technology in which people are merely a part of the machine. PR02. SELF-DETERMINATION Maximise the freedom of those affected by your design. PR03. RESPONSIBILITY Anticipate and design for all possible uses. PR04. NET BENEFIT Maximise good, minimise bad. PR05. FAIRNESS Treat like cases in a like manner; different cases differently. PR06. ACCESIBILITY Design to include the most vulnerable user. PR07. PURPOSE Design with honesty, clarity and fitness of purpose
ETHICAL TECHNOLOGY KNOWING WHAT’S RIGHT DOING WHAT’S RIGHT NOURISHING WHAT’S RIGHT
KNOWING WHAT’S RIGHT DOING WHAT’S RIGHT NOURISHING WHAT’S RIGHT ETHICAL TECHNOLOGY
Could this be used for evil? No Are you sure? Yes Go for it! No Back to the drawing board Yes What would let this happen? Who could stop this? What would stop them from doing so? How likely is it? Is the risk worth it? Can we go public with the risk? AM I BUILDING THE DEATH STAR?
• Stress-testing the ethical pressure points • Is there anything you’ve missed? • What trade-offs have you made? Can you defend them? • Were there ethically preferable ways of getting this result? • Have you stayed on brief? Was the brief a good one to begin with? RED TEAMING
RED TEAM Why can’t they walk around without having their screen turned on? Have you asked the owners of these locations if you can include them in the game? Are there some places where there won’t be infrastructure to support the amount of people? What happens if a Pokémon appears somewhere it shouldn’t? Will this encourage people to go where it’s not safe?
Affordance Theory • Clues as to how we should use technology • Not intended or primary functions of design • Bids to user and responses to user bids Affordances are design invitations – ‘here, use me like this’ TODDLER TALK
• Imagine you had no preconceptions about how to use this. What could you infer from the design? • How do you want people to use this? • How don’t you want people to use this? • Do your design choices and affordances reflect these expectations? • Are you unnecessarily preventing other legitimate uses of the technology? TODDLER TALK
ETHICAL TOTEMS • Teams, or people in teams, champion and safeguard a certain ethical viewpoint or a certain ethical theory • Can also be done with ethical stakeholders • Assists team in developing a reflective equilibrium • Challenges ethical biases through conscious acknowledgement of different lenses
• If you’ve built something great, tell us about it! • Disclose ethical trade-offs and limitations • Describe the world you’re trying to create • Encourage & be explicit about affordances • Seek feedback, iterate SHOW YOUR WORK
KNOWING WHAT’S RIGHT DOING WHAT’S RIGHT NOURISHING WHAT’S RIGHT ETHICAL TECHNOLOGY
KNOWING WHAT’S RIGHT DOING WHAT’S RIGHT NOURISHING WHAT’S RIGHT ETHICAL TECHNOLOGY
YOU’VE GOT TOGIVE A FUCK
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” – WILL DURANT (cribbing Aristotle)
“We live on a trampoline. If we move, it affects a whole lot of people.” – CAROL GILLIGAN
• Value-based incentives • Who you hire • Bonuses and promotions • Storytelling • Who we are defines what we do • What does it mean to be an Atlassian? • Stories that connect ethics with identity • Choose your heroes wisely • Who do you heap kudos on and why? • Advertise who your role models are and why GIVING A FUCK
Hypocrisy is the hill on which trust goes to die.
Skin in the game • Diversity: actively seeking those who are likely to be most affected by what you’re building. • Reducing moral hazards: who suffers? Who benefits? Are you safe either way? • Accountability: What happens if something goes wrong? DIVERSITY
Seeing the full picture • Have you mitigated the risk of ethical biases? • Do you all resolve ethical issues and dilemmas the same way? • Do you have an adequate stocktake of the potential effects, benefits and uses of what you’re building? DIVERSITY
WWW.ETHICS.ORG.AU ETHICSCENTRE ETHICS_CENTRE ETHICS_CENTRE