Value-Sensitive Software Design

Summary

Software is at the heart of many processes in contemporary life and innovation: software helps us to order vast amounts of data, retrieve information, make decisions, plan routes, etc. However, as will be explained in this chapter, like all technologies, software is inherently not neutral: design choices and characteristics of the technology itself affect our practices, choices, and even how we interpret the world around us. Software can harbor certain biases, can contain errors, or can have unintended side effects. Meanwhile, software can have a high impact on the lives of individuals. It is therefore important to be aware of this potential impact and figure out how to reap the fruits of the technology while reducing its potential harms. This chapter argues that we should take on this task already from the very beginning of the design of the technology. In order to help with the first few steps, the chapter introduces the main ideas underlying value-sensitive design.