The Power of Predicting Impact: Introducing The Tarot Cards of Tech

Try The Tarot Cards of Tech: a tool to inspire important conversations around the true impact of technology and the products we design.

As designers, we want to design products people love. But we also want to create technology that leaves a positive mark on the world, and that takes more than just asking if a product is engaging and enjoyable. We also must ask: Are we designing products that support the world we all want to live in, today and tomorrow.

Artefact is proud to introduce The Tarot Cards of Tech: a tool to inspire important conversations around the true impact of technology and the products we design. The Tarot Cards of Tech encourage creators to think about the outcomes technology can create, from unintended consequences to opportunities for positive change. Think of it as our way of helping you gaze into the future to determine how to make your product the best it can be.

Why now?

The Tarot Cards of Tech are a way to put humanity-centered design into practice so that we can think bigger picture and longer term about how the products we create will have an effect on the world. As an industry, we are waking up to ways in which the best intentions can lead to harmful outcomes. From mismanaged data to fake news, we are realizing that the effects of our most celebrated products are not always positive. When you “move fast and break things,” well, things get broken — or worse. We think it’s time instead to slow down and ask important questions of our products. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it makes better technology for everyone.

How do I use the cards?

Visit The Tarot Cards of Tech website to download your deck. Bring them to your next brainstorm or team meeting to start a conversation about questions of scale, of what usage really means, and how equity and access play a role in the technology we create. Perhaps it will expose a potential negative outcome that can be avoided, like a feature that could be abused or alienates people. But the cards are also designed to help reveal opportunities to increase the positive aspects of products as well, like ways to create more inclusive products or connect people in more meaningful ways. Either way, let us know how you use the cards. We would love to hear about your experience.