Design Patterns for the Common Good: Building Better Technologies Using the Wisdom of Virtue Ethics

2025-01-17

AI Summary

This study addresses the challenge of operationalizing virtue ethics in technology design by proposing a novel methodology to translate abstract virtue theories into actionable UX design patterns. Drawing on the seven cardinal virtues from Catholic social teaching, we developed the first empirically grounded, virtue-oriented design pattern framework. Through semi-structured interviews with 24 HCI researchers and practitioners, we elicited and refined design patterns, which were subsequently validated using virtue-specific evaluation criteria. Results demonstrate that the seven pattern categories effectively foster deep dialogue and authentic interpersonal connection, receiving strong endorsement from participants. This work constitutes the first systematic bridging of virtue ethics and empirical HCI practice, offering both a reusable methodological framework and an implementable design paradigm for integrating diverse virtue traditions into responsible technology development.

Technology Category

• Philosophy and Ethics of AI: Accountability, Interpretability & Explainability
• Humans and AI: Game Design — Virtual Humans, NPCs and Autonomous Characters
• Natural Language Processing: Ethics — Bias, Fairness, Transparency & Privacy

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics for personalization
• Responsible Web: Fairness, accountability, transparency and ethics of web technologies
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Fairness and ethical considerations in crowd work and in human-in-the-loop AI systems

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.

Problem

• Virtue Ethics
• Technological Design
• Moral Products

Innovation

• Virtue Ethics
• Catholic Teachings
• Meaningful Engagement