Designing responsibly for the future

Cat Saunders
Jul 10, 2017 · 3 min read

Artificial intelligence and virtual reality is rapidly becoming integrated with our society. Excitement is growing for how this will evolve the way we live, work, and play. But with this technology shift comes risks and consequences.

A little while back I attended Awwwards Conference in London where there was one key theme surfacing. As designers, it is our social responsibility to help shape the world we want to live in.

So what can we do to keep the evolution of technology positive?

Be mindful of control in virtual space

Virtual reality is unfamiliar territory that we are excited to explore, but it’s controlled by someone else. In an environment completely customisable we need to make sure that diversity and individualism is still represented.

Hyper-Reality is an ongoing series by Keiichi Matsuda which explores where VR could go in the future. Although a hectic kaleidoscope of visuals that seems far from reality, the themes are very real. Already we are flooded with advertisements as we go about our daily routines, but in these curated spaces what overload of bias advertising and sponsored content do we allow?

Be ready to answer the ethically tricky questions

Drew Huddleston spoke about how ethically questionable decisions are becoming normality. For example, there is huge development being made for the use of self driven cars but who will write the algorithm to favour the driver or the pedestrian in an accident?

Of course most of us will not face a question so extreme, but the forward thinking is just as important for smaller projects. In a world that is becoming more reliant on computers for automated activities, someone still needs to programme these difficult decisions.

Is it right to serve content curated from an initial bias that doesn’t challenge our ideas or original perception? If automating search results by popularity do we hinder the success of the new guy starting out, or limit visibility of the variety available to us?

Consider the consequences to society, beyond the planned user

It’s not just our users who we need to consider when designing. We need to be mindful of who else our services could affect, and limit the negative implications for others, society and the environment.

Consider apps that redirect traffic via less trodden routes. It’s helping the user reach their destination quickly, but this might be damaging to a local village or putting children at risk on a school crossing which would normally be quiet.

It’s through supply and demand that machinery and computers are replacing humans in the workplace and whilst we strive for efficiency, we openly provide opportunity to eliminate the need for us. Instead of continuing to remove traditional employment positions, can we look to create new opportunities with Artificial intelligence?

Form meaningful partnerships with sectors that need it

The evolution of virtual reality and artificial intelligence will do great things. As designers we should consider where our exploration of technologies can be used for maximum benefit.

At Awwwards London Nicki Sprinz from ustwo spoke passionately about collaboration in healthcare. This highlighted the need for digital transformation to the NHS, which will likely only happen with input from outside resources.


Beyond development for our own pleasure for gaming or convenience, there is an opportunity to improve big world problems. It is our responsibility to make sure that we design to make a positive difference.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade