The document discusses the concept of "moral design" which refers to designing products and interfaces that improve people's lives and character by being restrained, harmonious, dynamic, crafted, honest and organic. Moral design considers how designed objects can change human behavior, desires and habits over time. It was presented at the SXSW Interactive conference, and provides examples of both moral and immoral design approaches. The key principles of moral design are outlined.

1. SXSW
Interactive
2013
#moraldsgn
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3. #moraldsgn
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4. #moraldsgn
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9. the things we use change us
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10. Changing Behavior
Every day we use designed things that
change the way we:
Live
Relate
Communicate
View ourselves
And that’s a big, fat, moral deal.
#moraldsgn
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11. Here’s why.
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12. 80 - 90% of decisions are made
subconsciously by trained networks
of emotional perception
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13. Emotional
Perceptions
Desires Actions
Habits
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14. Desires
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15. ‘Moral’
Moralitas "manner, character, proper
behavior"
How should I act?
What does it mean to live well?
#moraldsgn
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18. Everything you touch has the power
to change you.
there is no escape from this
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19. Moral Design
RJ Owen
@rjowen
SXSW Interactive 2013
#moraldsgn
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20. This is awkward...
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21. “Persons attempting to find a motive
in this narrative will be prosecuted;
persons attempting to find a moral in
it will be banished; persons
attempting to find a plot in it will be
shot.”
- Mark Twain
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22. “I was a-trembling, because I'd got
to decide, forever, betwixt two
things, and I knowed it. I studied a
minute, sort of holding my breath,
and then says to myself:
‘All right, then, I'll GO to hell’”
- Mark Twain
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23. Who is this guy anyway?
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24. whoami
RJ Owen
Product
Manager &
Design Lead
Convercent
Denver, CO
@rjowen
#moraldsgn
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25. whoami pro
RJ Owen
Product Manager &
Design Lead
Convercent
Denver, CO
@rjowen
rj.owen@convercent.com
#moraldsgn
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26. “Convercent helps companies
systemically align values with
individual behavior to create a
thriving culture of engaged, high-
performing employees.”
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27. GRC
Governance
Specifying appropriate behavior
Risk
Problems for your company
Compliance
Ensuring people act appropriately
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28. - Author
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29. - Author
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30. This is not living well.
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31. “The Glory of God is Man Fully Alive”
- St. Irenaeus
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32. ok fine - what does this mean for
design?
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33. The 7 Lamps of
Architecture
John Ruskin
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34. 10 Commandments
of Good Design
Dieter Rams
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35. Solving for Pattern
Wendell Berry
in The Gift of Good Land
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36. what is moral design?
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37. 6 Principles
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38. moral design is restrained
Respect the limitations and constraints of
the user and their environment
Answer these questions:
How much is enough?
How much is too much?
#moraldsgn
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40. Moral design improves harmony
Sustain and improve balance and order
Do not solve problems by creating others
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43. case study: google plus
“Google+ aims to make sharing on the web
more like sharing in real life. Check out
Circles, Events and Hangouts, just a few of
the things we've been working on.”
#moraldsgn
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44. moral design is dynamic
Value the imperfection that comes from
crafting real things
#moraldsgn
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46. moral design requires
craftsmanship
Good things come from good practices
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48. moral design is honest
Does not pretend to be something other
than it is
Aims to achieve its promises - does not have
a hidden agenda
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49. “Design is a Promise”
- Every Designer Ever
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50. What are you promising?
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51. Is it achievable?
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52. Will it make people better people?
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54. Case study: zynga
“Zynga is the best place to play online
games with friends. It’s always free to play.”
#moraldsgn
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56. case study: app.net
“We are selling our product, NOT our users.”
#moraldsgn
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57. MORAL DESIGN is ORGANIC
Treat the user, the design, the brand, and
the environment as one organism
What is healthy for one must be healthy for
the others; otherwise an imbalance exists
and the solution is suspect
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58. MORAL DESIGN is ORGANIC
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62. Moral design is
Restrained
Harmonious
Dynamic
Crafted
Honest
Organic
#moraldsgn
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63. immoral design
Ignores constraints
Creates problems while solving problems
Static
Results-only; ignores the craft of design
Dishonest
Inorganic
#moraldsgn
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64. “A good solution,
then, must be in
harmony with good
character, cultural
value, and moral
law.”
- Wendell Berry
#moraldsgn
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65. What about business people??
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66. moral business
Morality is a competitive advantage and
differentiator today
CH2M HILL is 2013 Worlds Most Ethical
Company
Frank / Dodd act: up to 30% of Gov’t
fines can be kickbacks to whistleblowers
Values-driven organizations win
#moraldsgn
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67. moral business
Yes, a lot of this involves and depends on
influencing business stakeholders
So does good UX.
Design has never just been about design
#moraldsgn
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68. UX Deliverables Best Practices
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69. Journey Maps
#moraldsgn
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70. Journey Maps
Show a persons organic interaction with a
brand
Show how user grows / benefits from brand
interaction ongoing and vice versa
#moraldsgn
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71. Customer Hierarchy of Needs
#moraldsgn
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72. Joys
Wants
Needs
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73. Desirable
Usable
Useful
#moraldsgn
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74. Fulfilling
Usable
Useful
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75. Organic Cycle Diagrams
Mapping virtuous cycles
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76. Example: “Fun” Ethics Training
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77. Example: “Easy” Ethics Training
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78. Personas
Source: Kevin O’Connor, UXMag #moraldsgn
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79. “Do the right thing. It will gratify
some people and astonish the rest.”
- Mark Twain
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80. http://www.inhabitblog.com/
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81. Thank you
Moral Design
@rjowen
rj.owen@convercent.com
#moraldsgn
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82. Special thanks
Special thanks to Sara Pacheco for slide
design and session feedback
To all the members of the design community
on twitter, facebook, and G+ who reviewed
my preview video and gave early feedback
#moraldsgn
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83. Works Cited
Sample persona by Kevin O’Connor, in
UXMag:
http://uxmag.com/articles/personas-
the-foundation-of-a-great-user-
experience
Journey Map courtesy EffectiveUI blog:
http://www.effectiveui.com/blog/tag/
customer-journey-map/
#moraldsgn
Monday, March 11, 13