Today's conversation is about the role of teaching and discussing ethics during the design process.
This week's conversation is about the role of ethics during the design process. For many people, whether working in an office or academia, ethics is likely just a passing topic discussed once a year in required seminar training or ‘code of conduct’ handouts. But today we are discussing how ethics can play a role during the design process. As Dr Laura Ferrarello states, it is not about claiming solutions when including ethics. Instead, we discuss exploring potential outcomes to better understand where we are now. When architects look to build spaces that integrate today’s technologies, politics, policies, and environmental pressures all wrapped into a place where people are expected to live and work, friction is bound to occur. Being able to see this in advance is a good thing. It tells us a lot about where we are now. Playing out potential outcomes through design helps us reorientate our understanding of where we are now and what changes might need to be made before moving forward. You might be able to say that design ethics is about outcomes over solutions. There's no shortage of opportunities for architects and designers today.
Dr. Laura Ferrarello is a Senior Researcher at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Laura's research interests lie in the intersection of society, technology, and the environment. Her research focuses on designing practice and strategies that empower people in generating more ethical, responsible, and diverse innovation through interdisciplinary collaborative settings.
Other episodes linked to the topic include 094 Shelia Jasanoff and 015 James Hughes
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