Design Patterns for the Common Good: Building Better Technologies Using the Wisdom of Virtue Ethics
Journal:
arXiv
Published Date:
Jan 17, 2025
Abstract
Virtue ethics is a philosophical tradition that emphasizes the cultivation of
virtues in achieving the common good. It has been suggested to be an effective
framework for envisioning more ethical technology, yet previous work on virtue
ethics and technology design has remained at theoretical recommendations.
Therefore, we propose an approach for identifying user experience design
patterns that embody particular virtues to more concretely articulate virtuous
technology designs. As a proof of concept for our approach, we documented seven
design patterns for social media that uphold the virtues of Catholic Social
Teaching. We interviewed 24 technology researchers and industry practitioners
to evaluate these patterns. We found that overall the patterns enact the
virtues they were identified to embody; our participants valued that the
patterns fostered intentional conversations and personal connections. We pave a
path for technology professionals to incorporate diverse virtue traditions into
the development of technologies that support human flourishing.
