Ethics for Designers: Concepts and Tools

The systems and technologies we design in Wageningen may have all kinds of foreseen and unforeseen impacts. When designing, engineers therefore need to become aware of their own normative position, and learn to recognize and acknowledge various stakeholders’ norms and values. Every design decision contains assumptions about how the world functions and what amounts to an improvement. In this course, we provide concepts and tools for reflection to identify and engage with these assumptions for the goal of creating ethically responsive designs.

Objectives:

• Apply hands-on tools to map the ways technological systems are entangled with societal concerns.
• Reflect on the position of the designer in relation to their employers, clients, and wider stakeholders.
• Integrate wider non-quantifiable consideration in design choices.

General Information

Target Group:	EngDs, PhDs, postdocs and non-WUR participants
Group size:	20
Course duration:	2 full days
Language:	English
Credit points:	1 ECTS
Self-study hours:	10
Name lecturers:	Zoë Robaey and Clemens Driessen
Venue:	On Campus

Programme

Day 1

• Introduction rounds: for who do you design what?
• Interactive lectures by Zoë Robaey and Clemens Driessen: ethics design concepts & tools and examples from the Wageningen domains
• How can speculative design help design for today?

Day 2

• Participant presentations
• Reflection writing workshop
• Peer feedback and forming design communities

Fee

Waived fee: EngD candidates of Wageningen University with an approved Training and Supervision Plan (TSP)	€0
Reduced fee: • PhD candidates of Wageningen University with an approved Training and Supervision Plan (TSP) who are registered at one of the WU graduate schools (EPS, PE&RC, VLAG, WASS, WIAS, WIMEK) • Postdocs of Wageningen University who are registered at one of the WU graduate schools	€110
University fee: All other PhD candidates / postdocs and staff of Wageningen University	€220
External fee: All other participants	€400

Fee includes study and training material, coffee/tea and lunches.

Cancellation condition

You may cancel free of charge up to four weeks before the start of the course. After this date you will be charged the University fee. Unless:

• You can find someone to replace you in the course and supply the course coordinator with the name and contact information of your replacement.
  In this case you will only be charged a € 50,- cancellation fee.
• You (EngDs, PhDs and postdocs of Wageningen University) have a valid reason to cancel (illness or death in the family 1st or 2nd degree).
  In this case you will be charged the reduced fee and your supervisor/PI must send a mail indicating the reason for cancellation.

Information

For more information please contact the EngD Office (engd@wur.nl)