The Untold Benefits of Ethical Design EmpireJS 2018, NYC

Hello EmpireJS!

Holger Bartel uforepublic Ltd. Hong Kong Twitter: @foobartel

Build a “Better” Product Put User Interests First Challenge Status Quo Ethics at the Core

Ethical Design

Definition: 1 ethics plural in form but singular or plural in construction : the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation 2 a : a set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values the presentday materialistic ethic an old-fashioned work ethic —often used in plural but singular or plural in construction an elaborate ethicsChristian ethics b ethics plural in form but singular or plural in construction : the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group professional ethics c : a guiding philosophy d : a consciousness of moral importance forge a conservation ethic 3 ethics plural : a set of moral issues or aspects (such as rightness) debated the ethics of human cloning

A Guiding Philosophy

The discipline of dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation

Ethical Design: Design created with the intent to do good.

Design with good intent can still go wrong.

We spend a lot of time thinking about tools, technologies and frameworks.

We spend a lot of time thinking about tools, technologies and frameworks. How much time do you spend thinking about the impact of what you’re building?

Surveillance Capitalism

Data against People “Systems that make decisions about people based on their data produce substantial adverse effects that can massively limit their choices, opportunities, and life-chances”. http://crackedlabs.org/en/data-against-people

Dark Patterns

Dark Patterns are tricks [used in websites and apps] that make users do things that you didn't mean to.

Dark Patterns pressure users into making a decision.

Cancellation Page of an online subscription

Stress Loss Aversion Anxiety

Stressed, anyone?

Human Centered Design What’s really good for our users?

User Experience

User Experience: Accessibility Inclusivity Internationalisation Copy Writing User Flows Legibility Performance Respect Impact Security Privacy Responsibility

Peace of Mind

We’re spending a lot of time thinking about how to collect more and more data.

We’re spending a lot of time thinking about how to collect more and more data. How much time do you spend thinking about how to secure that data?

The data you don’t have stored, can’t be leaked, lost or stolen.

Web Performance

Bandwidth speeds in Hong Kong

Bandwidth speeds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Respecting Users

Respect your users’ time. Happy users will be much more likely to forgive.

Rethinking the Approach

4 Pillars for a Better Web

Responsibility Performance Privacy Security

Everybody wants to create better experiences. How would you like to be treated? What are you willing to do for it?

Accessibility Inclusivity Responsibility

Privacy

Web Performance

Security

Great! But…

“Don’t ask how you’re going to pay your rent working ethically. Ask why you’re open to behaving unethically in the first place.” —Mike Monteiro

We need to get our values and ethics right. Today.

By thinking about the user, how to treat and what to serve them, it’s possible to achieve better performance, offer improved privacy and security and become better at our craft.

Design with the intent to do good.

Design with the intent to do ~~good~~ better.

Do better every day.

Thank you.

Links & Credits New York Skyline: https://unsplash.com/photos/_QdFx92MO2U Hong Kong City View: https://unsplash.com/photos/g5-5pRzVPZw Data Breach Visualisation: www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/worlds-biggestdata-breaches-hacks/ Dark Patterns: https://darkpatterns.org/ Data against People: http://crackedlabs.org/en/data-against-people Colloq can be found at: https://colloq.io These slides can also be found on https://foobartel.com/speaking