What is Human-Centered and Socially Responsible Technology?

Human-Centered and Socially Responsible Technology.

These are the terms that encapsulate the mission of Shift SC. But before we dive into the technology aspect which our org focuses on, let’s first understand what it means to be human-centered.

As described in Wikipedia, Human-centered design is “an approach to interactive systems development … by focusing on the users, their needs and requirements, and by applying human factors/ergonomics.” In simpler terms, it is a design approach where human values such as well-being, fulfillment, and happiness are prioritized. This emphasizes the importance for any design to start by cultivating deep empathy with the users. Once their human-centric needs are defined, the technology to create a solution is discussed alongside the business potentials.

Now, we can apply this human-centered design framework to the development of innovative technologies, fittingly described by human-centered technology. But as much as this framework sounds appealing in theory, it might not be convincing for people to adopt it in their daily practice. Say a business analyst focused on the profitability of the product or an engineer scrambling with technical feasibility. One might then ask: they’re already busy enough; why another consideration for them to factor into their work?

For this reason, we incorporate another aspect of technology that is integral to making it human-centered. We believe that the designers of such technologies must be driven by social responsibility at their core. It is true that social responsibility isn’t something that is enforceable, but more of a nurtured product of an individual’s background and moral proclivity. However, the far-reaching impact of technology today should allow one to recognize the demand to “help make it right.”

Modern technology is more powerful than ever, and subsequently, the decisions that we make today are far more influential than what they would’ve been just a few decades ago. The internet connects the whole world in just a matter of seconds, and the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence technology is promising unprecedented amounts of workforce productivity while simultaneously posing significant job displacement. The reach of modern technology is already deeply embedded into our society, which impacts every citizen no matter their occupation, gender, nationality, or age. This means every stakeholder—whether it be a product manager, engineer, business analyst—has an obligation to shift us towards human-centered and socially responsible technology because it will invariably affect them as part of a broader societal impact.

Social responsibility can also help with workforce productivity and personal well-being. Studies show that meaningful, socially responsible work strengthens work engagement, performance, and happiness of employees. If the motivational and fulfillment potential of meaningful work is somewhat intrinsic to human psychology, why shouldn’t we pursue it more actively?

All of this is not to say that traditional design principles are obsolete. Engineering practices are still crucial, and it matters how well the systems that we’re building perform efficiently and predictably. Yet, there is a set of new human-centric principles that we should care about, sometimes even more so than speed, efficiency, and accuracy. At the end of the day, aren’t we doing all of this to build a better world for ourselves and future generations? A lot is at stake here and will affect society decades down the road. So, join us if you’re interested in making a difference! We can incrementally shift towards a more human-centered and socially responsible technology, shaping the future that we humans truly want to live in and be excited about.