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Kiernan, Louise brigid; McMahon, Muireann

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In a world where generative AI has become pervasive it is important that we maintain ethical standards when conducting design research and practice and even more so when that is with vulnerable participants. Some concerns exacerbated by AI are around integrity, data privacy, sensitive information disclosure, the amplification of existing biases, data provenance, lack of explainability and interpretability and reliability. As designing with vulnerable users becomes more prevalent, we need to establish guidelines to ensure ethical practices to protect both participant and researcher. Current research advocates that design research should be conducted with end user groups to ensure that solutions developed meet the needs and expectations of those most impacted by the issues. This approach, however, may not always be ethical or appropriate for design projects within education. Along with many of the standard ethical considerations when conducting research with vulnerable groups there are additional considerations when developing design solutions. Many design projects never reach fruition or may take years to develop a functional design requiring participant involvement over the course of the project. Student projects are not always focused on the implementation of final designs. This paper builds on previous research (Kiernan & McMahon, 2023) where a framework was developed to guide students when conducting research and practice. It explores several case studies of UG and PG design projects where vulnerable participants have been involved at various stages and to varying degrees. Case study analyses follows a description of these projects in applying the framework. This paper firstly reintroduces a framework developed by the authors that guides design students when conducting design research. It continues by describing several case studies, comprising UG and PG design project, where the framework is implemented as a key part of the process of working with vulnerable participants across various project stages and to varying degrees. Case study analyses follow where a discussion unpacks key questions around the efficacy and effectiveness of the framework. These questions address how useful the framework is in guiding the student as to when it was appropriate to involve participants; how it did or did not provide the most useful methods to work with participants as well as sufficient alternative methods of research and testing as well as how expectations were managed, and guidance provided around means of payback for people’s participation. The paper concludes by unpacking the appropriateness and usefulness of the framework to facilitate and guide students over the course of a project while protecting vulnerable participants.

Keywords:

Design Research, Ethics, Product Design, Design Education