Experiencing Ethics and Values in the Design Process of AI-Enabled Medical Devices and Software

The interaction design of medical devices has to engage and cater to the needs of a wide range of stakeholders, from patients to physicians. The present paper aims to show by example the methodological integration of critical reflection on ethics and values during the design process of AI-enabled tools. The question of how to promote awareness of ethical responsibilities in the context of AI in medical devices is raised, and the use of core frameworks for ethical and value-based design as well as reflexive practice are being evaluated. To this end we conducted multiple empirical studies based on multiple university research projects, including joint research with healthcare industry partners, connecting the fields of medicine, engineering psychology, media informatics, and design research. We present a questionnaire-based self-reflection tool—VaPeMeT—designed to encourage ethical reflection and use of frameworks across project phases and team members. Our studies combine qualitative and quantitative research in order to 1) connect reported participant actions with theoretical considerations from value-based design and 2) evaluate the completeness and usefulness of the VaPeMeT questionnaire. By conceptualizing process design implications and suggesting a questionnaire-based self-reflection tool, our research aims to contribute to integrated, actionable and responsible transdisciplinary cooperation in this sensitive context.