Using design fiction memos to analyze ux professionals' valueswork practices a case study bridging ethnographic and design futuring methods

Abstract

Multiple methods have been used to study how social values and ethics are implicated in technology design and use, including empirical qualitative studies of technologists' work. Recently, more experimental approaches such as design fction explore these themes through fctional worldbuilding. This paper combines these approaches by adapting design fctions as a form of memoing, a qualitative analysis technique. The paper uses design fction memos to analyze and refect on ethnographic interviews and observational data about how user experience (UX) professionals at large technology companies engage with values and ethical issues in their work. The design fctions help explore and articulate themes about the values work practices and relationships of power that UX professionals grapple with. Through these fctions, the paper contributes a case study showing how design fction can be used for qualitative analysis, and provides insights into the role of organizational and power dynamics in UX professionals' values work.