What your designs say about you - Sebastian Deterding

TL;DR

This talk examines the morality of using design and technology to change behaviors, emphasizing the importance of asking questions about intentions, effects, values, and the vision of the good life.

Transcript

[Applause] we are today talking about moral persuasion what is moral and immoral in trying to change people's behaviors by using technology and using design and I don't know what you expect but when I was thinking about that issue I early on realized what I'm not able to give you or answers I'm not able to tell you what is moral immoral because we'... Read More

Key Insights

• ⚾ Moral judgment in persuasive design varies based on individual values and societal norms.
• ❓ The unintended side effects of persuasive technology can have a significant impact on psychological well-being.
• 🎨 Values embedded in designs can reinforce societal norms and expectations, influencing individual behaviors.
• 👋 Designers should consider the vision of the good life conveyed by their designs and question societal expectations.
• ❓ Ethical judgment should extend beyond technology to encompass personal and societal values.
• 🫒 The concept of ethics is not solely based on permissibility but also involves the pursuit of excellence in living life well.
• 👯 Designs materialize morality and affect how people interact with the world.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the speaker define the concept of morality in relation to technology and design?

The speaker acknowledges that morality is subjective and varies in a pluralist society, making it difficult to provide a definitive answer. The focus is on asking questions about intentions, effects, values, and the vision of the good life.

Q: Can you provide an example of the unintended side effects of using game elements to motivate behavior?

Yes, the speaker shares an example of eco dashboards in cars, which encourage fuel-efficient driving through competition. However, this can lead to unsafe driving behaviors, such as running red lights, due to the desire to avoid engine restarts.

Q: How do motivational tools that rely on public recognition affect long-term psychological well-being?

Research suggests that caring about public recognition and external tokens of recognition may not be beneficial for long-term psychological well-being. Instead, it is better to prioritize self-care and learning, as a focus on external recognition can have detrimental effects on personal growth and development.

Q: Is it possible to create designs that are ethically neutral?

The speaker argues that design inherently carries a persuasive component and that it is impossible to create designs that are completely ethically neutral. Every design embodies certain values and a vision of the good life, whether intentional or not.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker discusses the moral aspect of using technology and design to influence people's behavior, emphasizing that what is considered moral or immoral may vary due to different values in society.

• Examples of technologies using game elements to motivate behavior, such as eco dashboards in cars and badges for children, are presented to highlight unintended side effects on long-term psychological well-being.

• The speaker questions the intentions, effects, values, and visions of the good life embedded in designs and emphasizes the importance of understanding the moral implications of technology.