Ethical Design
Ethical Design
Solutions to problems do not exist in a vacuum. Every engineered system has impacts — environmentally, economically and socially.
Ethical design means considering these impacts throughout the design process, rather than only after a solution has been developed.
Starlink, developed by SpaceX, provides satellite internet access to remote and regional areas, improving communication and access to services. However, the large number of satellites has also raised concerns about space debris, environmental sustainability and interference with astronomical research.
This demonstrates an important part of ethical design: a system can provide significant benefits while also creating negative or unintended impacts.
Environmental sustainability
Environmental sustainability is about reducing the impact a system has on the environment so that resources remain available for future generations.
In systems engineering, this includes considering: - the materials and resources used to make the system - the energy and resources required during manufacturing - the energy or resources the system uses during operation - what happens to the system at the end of its life, such as reuse, recycling or disposal.
The goal is to meet the needs of the system throughout its lifecycle without unnecessarily depleting natural resources or causing long-term environmental damage.
Economic sustainability
Economic sustainability is about making sure a system is financially practical and able to be supported over time.
In systems engineering, this includes considering: - the cost of different materials and components - manufacturing and production costs - running, maintenance and repair costs - the expected lifespan of the system - whether a more expensive option now may reduce costs in the future.
Economic sustainability can also consider the wider impact of engineering, such as creating employment and contributing to the Australian and global economy, as well as considering negative impacts on jobs, employment, and ongoing affects to different economies.
Social sustainability
Social sustainability is about considering how a system affects people, communities and future generations.
It aims to support people's wellbeing and access to important social resources such as education, human rights, community connection and opportunities to participate in society.
In systems engineering, this means considering whether a system: - is safe and accessible for the people who use it - improves or negatively affects people's quality of life - supports the needs of the wider community - considers the needs of future generations.
The aim is to design and produce systems responsibly, with consideration for both current users and the broader community.
Positives and Negatives
When we talk about positive and negative impacts, this does not simply mean good and bad.
Think more broadly about the strengths and weaknesses of a system, including its:
- advantages and disadvantages
- benefits and limitations
- opportunities and risks
- improvements and trade-offs
- intended and unintended impacts
A system may have a positive impact in one area, while creating a negative impact somewhere else. Your job is to consider both sides and explain what the impact actually is.
Ethics in Design
Ethics should be considered from the beginning of the design process, not added as an afterthought.
Every design decision has consequences.
Even if you do not spend much time thinking about a particular choice, or you enter a project already knowing what you want to use, you are still making a design decision.
You should be able to explain why that choice was made, what alternatives existed, and what impacts were considered.
Think Big
Do not only think about the single system you are building in the workshop.
Imagine your system was going to be mass produced.
Consider what would happen if 100,000 units were manufactured instead of one.
This makes it easier to consider issues such as: - material use and waste - embodied energy - carbon emissions - manufacturing by-products - transport and distribution - repair and maintenance - end-of-life disposal or recycling.
A choice that seems insignificant for one prototype can have a much larger impact when repeated thousands of times.
Justifying your choices
Design decisions should be justified using social, economic and environmental considerations.
A strong justification does more than say:
"I chose this because it was the best option."
Instead, explain: - what options were available - the advantages and limitations of each - who or what could be affected - which impacts were most important - why your final choice was appropriate.
Ethical Analysis
Ethical analysis is about looking closely at a system, design or technology to understand its wider impacts.
Rather than simply deciding whether something is "good" or "bad", the aim is to examine who is affected, what the impacts are, and what trade-offs exist.
You can use the model below to structure an ethical analysis and support a clear, evidence-based judgement.
• Users
• Stakeholders
• Community
• Environment] C[Analyse the impacts
• Social
• Economic
• Environmental
• Cultural
• Safety
• Usability] D[Examine trade-offs
• What are the benefits?
• What are the limitations?
• Who benefits?
• Who may be disadvantaged?] E[Form a judgement
• Which impacts are most significant?
• Are the trade-offs acceptable?
• Why?] A --> B --> C --> D --> E
You are designing a simple electrotechnological system, such as a motion-sensor alarm.
You need to decide how the system will be powered:
disposable batteries
mains power
solar power with a rechargeable battery
solar power without a battery.
For each option, briefly identify at least one advantage and one limitation.
Consider:
How does this option affect the environment?
What are the setup and ongoing costs?
Who benefits from this option?
Who might be disadvantaged?
What happens over the full lifecycle of the system?
Choose the option you believe is most appropriate. Justify your choice using evidence from your analysis, and acknowledge at least one limitation of your decision.
This is similar to what you should be doing when documenting important design decisions throughout your folio.
It does not need to become an essay.
The purpose is to provide evidence that you: 1. considered realistic alternatives 2. analysed their broader impacts 3. recognised trade-offs 4. made and justified a considered decision.
SpaceX's Starlink system provides clear social and economic benefits, but it also affects astronomical research and contributes to increasing activity in Earth's orbit.
Were these impacts unforeseen, overlooked, or considered acceptable trade-offs?
Ethical analysis is not always about proving that a decision was right or wrong. Sometimes it is about identifying what was gained, what was sacrificed, and whether that trade-off can be justified.