The business of ethical authority
Where we last left off, I was pondering the trajectory of DLB. Spreading the word about design ethics is our next step, but ultimately, we want to go out and help people design more ethically. We'd also like to get paid to do so. This begs the question: How does one balance business with authority?
To be in business, you have to have the requisite knowledge and/or skills of your trade. People trust that you know what you’re doing; that you know more about something than they do– I would call this authority. If you don’t have it, you have no business diagnosing and fixing things.
The trouble is authority can easily be abused. The quintessential example of this is an auto mechanic. While it’s the mechanic’s job to diagnose your car for you, it must be difficult for them to be impartial. It’s in their best interest to find something wrong or at least tell you that there is some work that needs to be done. This is not to say mechanics are inherently dishonest, it’s just that there is a definite conflict of interest in play.
That’s what comes to mind when I think about Ethisphere– a company that I think bears many similarities to DLB. On one hand, they rate the most ethical companies in the world. But on the other, they offer ethics consulting and training conferences. Isn’t there a conflict of interest?
Perhaps that’s just the job. Having (or creating) authority gives one the ability to conduct business.
If you’re any kind of consultant, then, I guess you’re like our friend the mechanic. But, as such, How do I know I can trust you?
I can’t help but go back to Consumer Reports. I would argue it is easier to trust their authority because they have insulated themselves from influence. They do not accept any advertising because it might bias the magazine’s judgment.
But then again, judgment is all they do. To remain as impartial as possible, Consumer Reports cannot go out there and help companies make better projects; that, too could be construed as a form of bias (sort of like how a journalist cannot make the news).
While this framework helps ensure the public’s trust, DLB can’t model itself after Consumer Reports. We want to help people make things and make things that help people.
If we can’t create a bulletproof honest organization, perhaps we need something else.
Maybe we need a code to follow. Maybe all designers do?
We’ll take that up next week. See you then!
| Tagged with: | Athority, Business, Consumer Reports, Design Ethics, Ethisphere, Trust |
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