We are user experience designers; professional innovators creating solutions for real-world problems. We’re tuned to understanding people’s needs, and much of our job involves balancing these user needs against those of our clients’ business. But look wider – at the financial, ecological and sociological crises that affect our society in large and small ways. Perhaps there is a third set of needs to keep in balance; ethical needs. This presentation is about how to adopt a new awareness to add human and ethical strand into our everyday work. Just as large companies now consider ‘corporate social responsibility’ part of ‘business as usual’, so we as a designers can incorporate ethical social innovation into our work, and in doing so help our company and clients to be more sensitive to the wider needs of people (not users). I will share ideas and trends from science, business, social innovators and philosophers to help you introduce the Good factor into your understanding of problems, so you can go a step ahead and design for good. You already recycle, support local trade, maybe even volunteer in your community. I now invite you to introduce such ethical values into your design and work. It’s not easy, but it’s inspiring rewarding, and leads to a better world and happy people!
