Designing cognitive speed bumps for durable ethical design processes
How do we move past ethical frameworks and persuasive media design templates to create cognitive speed bumps and use decision sciences to re-engage individuals with ethical decision making over time, especially after the current media hype ends or when the most recent ethics training is concluded.
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Classic Heideggerr-style feedback loops aren’t working for current ethical framework strategies. Currently, most of the ethical frameworks only suggest feedback as essential to maintaining ethical due diligence. However, due to the non-stock-and-flow nature of ethics, I believe we need to consider new paradigms to affect change.
I recognize that a paradigm shift is the hardest level of intervention, as outlined by Donella Meadows, but it is necessary for such a complex problem.
Most designers and agencies look for ethical frameworks, ethics card games, or workshops to engage this discussion. However, most seem to fall short of making measurable change over time.
I don’t have all the answers, but I believe we can begin by working at the “rules of the system” (incentives, punishments, constraints) or the “goals of the system” intervention points.
Thus, I recommend a new model for engaging the decision-making process using what I call “cognitive speed bumps.” The two models/ideas that follow are still in their infancy but are based on my research, which illuminated these ways in which we can approach designing the ethical decision process. My goal is that by presenting these two models we can begin a new discussion around the ethical decision-making process.
What are cognitive speed bumps?
Cognitive speed bumps are system level interventions that go beyond basic feedback loops. Cognitive speed bumps are purposefully designed interventions that, unlike persuasive media, creates a cognitive burden requiring a critical decision to be made using our system I decision process.
After creating this term, I found others have been considering a similar concept. I believe that the concept of cognitive speed bumps (in the ethical context) aims to move us away from organizationally static feedback loops and technology adapting behaviors as found in persuasive media (which reinforce ethical fading over time). These cognitive speed bumps move us toward more goal-directed interventions that make individuals pause before making a decision and routinely reengage our system II mind with the hard questions posed by most ethical frameworks. The exact speed bump intervention will vary by industry and organization and will require the application of motivational research in the realm of autonomy, mastery, and purpose in order to be successful–as summarized from psycology research by Daniel Pink.
Models
Proposed model 1: Judgement + cognitive speed bumps
In order to have a successful cognitive speed bump we must design interventions to address one’s motivational needs of autonomy, purpose, and mastery in conjunction with using decision science research aimed at overcoming our tendencies toward the two judgment heuristics of availability and substitution.
I believe such an intervention would be most effective by beginning with a second-order cybernetics mapping of the problems and space paired with current decision science and behavioral economic theories in order to identify clear opportunity spaces.
These cognitive speed bumps must:
- Be difficult to avoid
- Be hard to overcome, even after many repetition cycles
- Not be tied to a company “policy”
- Empower the decision maker, without feeling burdensome
- Engage our rational, systems II mind
We may be able to begin prototyping such cognitive speed bumps by reverse engineering the persuasive media design concepts developed by BJ Fogg and associates.
Proposed model 2: A design process for ethics
Similar to other design processes, the model above would be flexible and allow for more iterations over time. However, each core step ensures a thoughtful process leading up to utilizing an ethical framework, developing cognitive speed bumps for after launch, and testing.
- Thoughtfully consider which ethical approach is right for you/your organization.
- Next evaluate and create an ethics complex, evaluating everything from beliefs, morals, and the attendant value spectrum.
- Connect with a diverse cohort of individuals to uncover ethical motivations, refine value set, and prepare for conversing.
- Select an ethical framework from a reputable source to guide conversations around your ethical approach and use the cybernetic approach to help test variable interactions based on goals and actions between parties.
- Define an ethos and standard for your ethical approach and potential cognitive speed bumps to keep individuals engaged. Consider your approach’s weaknesses and unintended consequences.
- Prototype for failure and uncover where your ethical determination fails, use crowd as proxy, and test with a large audience to see how your product/organization would work as a trolly problem.
- Publicly launch and acknowledge one’s ethical stance, potential bias, and value selections.
Consider this…
These models are not intended to be a catch-all solution but are an invitation to a new conversation around how to overcome ethical fading and how to support new processes for decision making.
My personal opinion is that an ethical design only exists if the complete ethical package of beliefs, morals, and values inform the goals of the persuader/designer and are aligned with the goals of the individual being persuaded.
Thus, it is imperative to begin the conversation now — while the iron is hot — to develop new processes for sustained ethical engagement. This must happen through supporting behavior changes.
