Summary
Traditional design metrics and KPIs are often geared towards measuring product success. Dark metrics challenge this paradigm by proactively measuring the unintended yet harmful psychological, social, and physical effects of our technologies. The examples within digital health are plentiful. From accelerating burnout among clinicians to widening racial disparities in quality of care, we can only reach the height of our most courageous solutions when we expose our deepest failures.
Key Insights
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Dark metrics focus on the negative impacts of digital health technologies.
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Basic product metrics often ignore the user's holistic experience and needs.
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Disempowerment occurs when technology impairs an individual's autonomy.
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Exclusion can manifest through implicit biases in technology design.
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Addiction in technology often leads to excessive use and unhealthy dependencies.
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Distraction from digital technologies can hinder workflow and engagement in healthcare settings.
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Designers should prioritize ethical frameworks to measure success.
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Incorporating diverse perspectives helps identify unintended consequences early.
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Ethical considerations in design should be part of the profit model in businesses.
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Continuous evaluation and adjustment of metrics is crucial in tech design.
Notable Quotes
"A Pinterest is worth a thousand words."
"The measure of a man is what he does with power."
"Designing is about augmenting intelligence, not replacing it."
"The actual algorithm didn’t make explicit mention to race as a variable."
"I can tell that a lot of these new health technologies are not stress tested in real world environments."
"Our ultimate goal is to make sure that racial equity is embedded into every aspect of our design culture."
"Let’s have diverse co-creation from the beginning to reduce bias."
"Not every diverse population will have the same experiences; I don't have every black experience."
"The first step is to identify where and how we might be exclusionary."
"Raising awareness around dark metrics is essential for user advocacy."
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