Values as Key Drivers of Responsible Innovation
New technological developments in areas like quantum computing, big data, robotics, block chain, artificial intelligence (AI), and the internet of things (IoT) create opportunities, but also raise ethical challenges. Ethics, especially as it was traditionally practiced, easily could be mistaken for an impediment for innovation, as always trying to put a break on certain directions of technological process.
However, this view would not do justice to the positive role that moral reflection can play in stimulating innovation. It is when our most deeply held values are at stake – values such as privacy, transparency, safety, security, trust, autonomy and well-being – that ingenious new solutions are most needed. Ethics can thus become a driver of innovation.
Pro-Actively Addressing Moral Dilemmas Early On
Bringing values to bear on the details of design, proactively addressing moral dilemmas early on in the innovation process, can help to prevent a failed trajectory of technology implementation because of rejection by society. But more positively, designing for values can also lead to better products and services, with long-term benefits for companies, citizens and society alike.
Design for values should thus be a key strategy for companies and organizations interested in bringing about responsible innovation. This masterclass will give participants the chance to
- deepen their understanding of applied ethics in a digital era and how moral values can be conceptualized and operationalised;
- acquire inspiration and tools for guiding their own organization towards responsible innovation with design for values as a core strategy.
For Whom Is This Master Class?
This masterclass is primarily meant for experienced mid-level to senior-level managers in companies working on innovations in the digital domain, for example in the areas of big data, robotics, block chain, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things. It is also suitable for people working at a similar level for governmental and non-profit organizations active in this area. We strive for a balanced group of participants who will benefit from each other’s experience and insights. This master class is explicitly not meant for academic researchers.
Our Top Teachers
Your host and main teacher for this executive master class will be prof. dr. Jeroen van den Hoven, scientific director of the Delft Design for Values Institute.
Contact
Please contact dr. Ilse Oosterlaken (e.t.oosterlaken@tudelft.nl) if you have any questions about this master class.