The Ethical Design Handbook

Over the past 20 years, user privacy has become merely a commodity on the web: there, but hardly ever respected — and often swiftly discarded. No wonder ad-blockers and tracking-blockers have gained traction, and in times when ad-blocking, browsers and new legislation (e.g. GDPR/CCPA) introduce constraints on data collection, we need viable alternative business models that companies can rely on. Models that respect customer choices and are built and designed with ethics in mind.


But how do we get there? Meet The Ethical Design Handbook, our new guide on ethical design for digital products, with practical guidelines on how to help companies leave dark patterns behind and boost business KPIs along the way.


Many business models thrive on ingeniously deceptive and manipulative digital products. Not because they have to; mostly because dark patterns have become such an accepted norm. But what happens when ad-blockers, cross-browser tracking protection and data regulation (e.g. GDPR & CCPA) become a norm, too? That’s when an honest, ethical design could be a competitive advantage.


To grow a sustainable business, we need to learn how to leave dark patterns behind. We also need to figure out how to make honest digital products financially viable. Products that enable and respect customer choices and are built and designed with ethics in mind.


It’s not just the poor state of the web that brings us here though. It’s the lack of alternatives that companies can rely on. The Ethical Design Handbook explores alternative, sustainable business models and shows how businesses can move towards ethical design and become more profitable as a result. It’s a very practical and tactical guide for designers, developers and management, with case studies and techniques applicable to every digital product.


Table of Contents


Introduction
The need for ethics in design
Creating positive change
Respect-driven design
The business of ethical design
Ethical design best practices
Getting started