Summary
In the very realistic future of an AI-driven world, the responsible and ethical implementation of technology is paramount. In this session, we will dive into the crucial role of DesignOps practitioners in driving ethical AI practices. We'll tackle the challenge of ensuring AI systems align with user values, respect privacy, and avoid biases, while unleashing their potential for innovation. As a UX strategist and DesignOps practitioner, I understand the significance of integrating ethical considerations into AI development. I bring a unique perspective on how DesignOps can shape the future of AI by fostering responsible innovation. This session challenges the status quo by highlighting the intersection of DesignOps and ethics, advancing the conversation in our field and sparking thought-provoking discussions. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the role of DesignOps in navigating the ethical landscape of AI. They will learn practical strategies and best practices for integrating ethical frameworks into their AI development processes. By exploring real-world examples and case studies, attendees will be inspired to push the boundaries of responsible AI and make a positive impact in their organizations. Join me in this exciting session to chart the course for ethical AI, challenge conventional thinking, and explore the immense potential of DesignOps in driving responsible innovation.
Key Insights
-
•
AI tech debt compounds exponentially, making rushed releases far more damaging than traditional tech debt.
-
•
Faulty AI bias can cause severe real-world harm, like wrongful arrests illustrated by Robert Williams' story.
-
•
Design ops leaders must act as 'party planners' to ensure diverse, multidisciplinary teams are involved in AI development.
-
•
Multidisciplinary teams should include legal experts, machine learning engineers, UX researchers, domain experts, business analysts, data scientists, and ethicists.
-
•
AI datasets often inherit societal biases, as revealed by MidJourney’s predominantly white, stereotyped image outputs.
-
•
Key ethical AI questions include verifying data origins, bias testing, and ongoing monitoring mechanisms.
-
•
Ethical prototyping requires simulating AI behavior against varied user personas and challenging scenarios.
-
•
Ethical stress testing evaluates AI responses in morally complex situations, such as autonomous vehicle dilemmas.
-
•
AI must be iterated ethically and continuously to prevent degradation and incorporation of biased or untrusted inputs.
-
•
Advocating for inclusion and ethical data use requires persistent escalation, especially in engineering-led organizations.
Notable Quotes
"AI tech debt has compounding interest to it."
"Rushing to market with AI solutions can irreparably damage not only your product but your entire brand."
"We are the solution to preventing harmful AI outcomes like Robert's wrongful arrest."
"Your role is to ensure that the right people are at the party — a multidisciplinary team."
"MidJourney’s dataset reflects stereotyped images because it’s based on internet image results without specific instruction."
"It is not our job to know all the answers, but to make sure the right questions are asked."
"Ethical stress testing subjects AI to hypothetical morally challenging scenarios to ensure alignment with ethical norms."
"AI learns from the world, sometimes from untrusted sources, so it needs continual ethical iteration."
"You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube once biased AI harms your brand or users."
"Embrace the role of party planner with your expertise to shape ethical AI innovation."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Timely interactions that log users out without saving progress cause abandonment, especially for people with disabilities."
Sam ProulxOnline Shopping: Designing an Accessible Experience
June 7, 2023
"Evaluations and promotions can be nebulous and awkward, especially in collaborative design work."
Ignacio MartinezFair and Effective Designer Evaluation
September 25, 2024
"Transformation is new ways of thinking and eventually doing; we won’t have all the answers at the start and that’s okay."
Sarah Kinkade Mariana Ortiz-ReyesDesign Management Models in the Face of Transformation
June 8, 2022
"Belonging means understanding the shape, size, and cause of your community and your unique purpose in it."
Daniel GloydWarming the User Experience: Lessons from America's first and most radical human-centered designers
May 9, 2024
"Structure beats free form interaction—systematic query frameworks are essential to avoid pitfalls."
Patrick BoehlerFishing for Real Needs: Reimagining Journalism Needs with AI
June 10, 2025
"You can chat with large sets of data in real time, not waiting hours or days for answers."
Andy Barraclough Betsy NelsonFrom Costly Complexity to Efficient Insights: Why UX Teams Are Switching To Voxpopme
September 23, 2024
"We should reconsider the savior complex designers sometimes have — we’re not all powerful."
Alexandra SchmidtWhy Ethics Can't Save Tech
November 18, 2022
"Strategic friction is about where you apply friction deliberately to create insight and transformation."
Louis RosenfeldDiscussion: What Operations can teach DesignOps
November 6, 2017
"We’re literally using AI to help AI build AI, including bias detection and correction in the process."
Mitchell BernsteinOrganizing Chaos: How IBM is Defining Design Systems with Sketch for an Ever-Changing AI Landscape
September 29, 2021
