From Participatory Design and Ontological Ethics, Towards an Approach to Constructive Ethics

This paper explores, analyses and discusses the potential of applying Danish theologian and philosopher K.E. Løgstrup’s ontological approach to ethics, when planning and conducting participatory design activities. By doing so, ethical considerations, will transform from being a summative evaluation perspective typically included at the end of a design process, to becoming a more formative and constructive perspective which influences the entire process. The approach presented in this paper will support on-going research within the field of Value Sensitive Design with theoretically based principles. These are principles that practitioners may consider when planning e.g. workshops in order to ensure that the activities facilitate both the design process and establish an ethical foundation for the design process. In addition to the theoretical contribution of the paper, the notion of constructive ethics is exemplified in practice by on-going research in the cross field between persuasive design and learning, carried out in collaboration with the Danish Military. Previous research has suggested that both participatory design and ethics may be essential to persuasive design in theory and in practice. However, considering the impact interactive technologies have on users in general, the principles exemplified through this case are relevant in a much broader perspective and to many other design traditions.