As a designer you hold a lot of power. With that power comes the responsibility of being ethical. 
Engineers talk about ethics all the time, but anyone involved in the creation of products and services needs to be concerned about safety & ethics. Why?
💸 The Hidden Price of UX
Creating a good user experience can be expensive. It can require hiring designers, taking time and lots of collaboration.
Creating a bad user experience can be expensive. It can cost money, if the product goes into the wrong direction. It can reduce usage, if it is frustrating and causes friction. And, it can cost lives.
😔 Real Consequences
As a human factors student, we study cases of how designing without considering the operator can lead to deadly consequences. On January 20th, 1992 Air Inter Flight 148 crashed into the Vosges Mountains and killed majority of the crew and passengers on board. The cockpit used the most advanced technology at the time, but the cause of the crash was not human error.
Instead it was a design flaw – an interface that used one display for two different descent modes. There was limited differentiation between modes, which allowed the pilot to set the incorrect descent value thereby crashing the plane.
For some more details about the Air Inter Flight accident, click here.
🦺 Designing for Safety
This heartbreaking incident emphasizes the importance of research and testing when designing user interfaces. As designers, builders and developers, we have a critical responsibility to ensure the safety of those who interact with our creations.
Let’s learn from these experiences and commit to deliver experiences that not only improve business outcomes but also prioritizes the well-being and safety of others.
