I gave this presentation at a Ladies that UX meetup in Melbourne. September 2018

1. ETHICS
IN DESIGN
Cheryl Paulsen | User Experience Designer at SEEK
@cheryl_paulsen
4 frameworks for ensuring
ethical product design

2. Photo: Big Design
The impact
of design
decisions
Jared Spool and the famous
$300 million button.
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3. New version*
Original*
*Illustrative representation - not the actual design
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4. $300M 4

5. Design influences behaviour.
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6. Design influences behaviour.
We design to encourage desired
behaviour.
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7. There’s no standardised code of
ethics for designers.
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8. There’s no standardised code of
ethics for designers.
The responsibility lives with each of
us to ensure our designs are ethical.
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9. Source: “Nir and Far” by Nir Eyal
FRAMEWORK #1
Regret
Test
Ask yourself: “If your customers knew everything
you know, would they still complete the intended
behaviour? And would they regret doing it?”
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10. REAL WORLD EXAMPLE
Windows 10
upgrade
Should we change the interaction
of the close button from dismiss
to install?
Source: UXP2 Dark Patterns @cheryl_paulsen 10

11. FRAMEWORK #2
Libertarian
Paternalism
Designers should preserve freedom of choice,
while encouraging choices that will improve
users lives - as judged by themselves.
Casey Allen (Unsplash) Source: “Nudge” by Thaler and Sunstein @cheryl_paulsen 11

12. REAL WORLD EXAMPLE
401K Retirement
savings plan
Fabian Blank (Unsplash) Source: Time.com
Nudging people to save for
retirement with auto-enrollment.
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13. Source: “Nir and Far” by Nir Eyal
FRAMEWORK #3
Manipulation
Matrix
Ask yourself two questions:
“Will I use the product myself?”
“Will the product improve users’ lives?”
Francisco Morales (Unsplash) @cheryl_paulsen 13

14. Improves the
user’s life Peddler Facilitator
Does not
improve the
user’s life
Dealer Entertainer
The maker does not use it The maker uses it
Manipulation Matrix

15. REAL WORLD EXAMPLE
Virtue
Cycles
1. Do I use the product?
a. Yes
2. Do I believe it improves users’ lives?
a. Yes
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16. Materially
improves the
user’s life
Peddler Facilitator
Does not
improve the
user’s life
Dealer Entertainer
The maker does not use it The maker uses it
Virtue Cycles

17. REAL WORLD EXAMPLE
Remington
Firearms
1. Do I use the product?
a. No
2. Do I believe it improves users’ lives?
a. No
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18. Materially
improves the
user’s life
Peddler Facilitator
Does not
improve the
user’s life
Dealer Entertainer
The maker does not use it The maker uses it
Remington Firearms

19. Greg Rakozy (Unsplash) Source: “Hooked” by Nir Eyal
FRAMEWORK #4
Align to
a Purpose
Align your work with a purpose that provides
meaning, and helps cultivate meaning for others.
This is not only a moral imperative, it’s good
business practice.
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20. 20

21. “Leave the world in a better state
than you found it.”
– Mike Monteiro
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22. Regardless of your role, if you’re in
the business of making products,
you have a responsibility to ensure
your design is ethical.
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Cheryl Paulsen | User Experience Designer at SEEK
@cheryl_paulsen

23. Related articles
With great persuasion comes great responsibility by Cheryl Paulsen
Breaking bias with UX Design by Bella Schoeppe
Ethical product design: should we make the unconscious conscious? by Aoife Johnston
A Designer’s code of ethics by Mike Monteiro
In praise of the AK-47 by Mike Monteiro
Opting in vs. Opting Out by Richard Thaler
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24. Toolkits
Ethical OS Toolkit
Design the Right Thing
Little Book of Design Research Ethics
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Ethics for the Starving Designer

25. Books + training
Responsible Innovation: Ethics, Safety and Technology Online Course by EdX
Technically Wrong by Sara Wachter-Boettcher
Design for Real Life by Eric Meyer & Sara Wachter-Boettcher
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26. THANKS!
Cheryl Paulsen | User Experience Designer at SEEK
@cheryl_paulsen