Tools and technologies are fundamental to the human condition. They do no less than create and structure the conditions in which we live, express ourselves, enact society, and experience what it means to be human. They are also the result of our moral and technical imaginations. Yet, with our limited view, it is not at all obvious how to design tools and technology so that they are more likely to support the actions, relationships, institutions, and experiences that human beings care deeply about – a life and society of quality. In this talk I will explore the deep scientific knowledge and technology trends at the cusp of the 21st century. Thinking longer-term and systemically, I will bring forward a range of potential challenges and design opportunities in light of these trends. To do so, I will draw from over two decades of theory development and technical design work in Value Sensitive Design. My comments will engage individual lives, society writ large, what it means to be human, the planet and beyond.

Batya Friedman is a Professor in the Information School and holds adjunct appointments in the School of Computer Science and Engineering, and the Department of Human-Centered Design and Engineering at the University of Washington. She co-directs the Value Sensitive Design Research Lab and the UW Tech Policy Lab. Dr. Friedman pioneered value sensitive design (VSD), an approach to account for human values in the design of information systems. First developed in human-computer interaction, VSD has since been used in architecture, civil engineering, computer security, energy, human-robotic interaction, information management, land use and transportation, legal theory, and moral philosophy. Dr. Friedman is currently working on multi-lifespan design and on methods for envisioning – imagining new ideas for leveraging information systems to shape our futures. Voices from the Rwanda Tribunal is a first project in this multi-lifespan design research program. In 2012 Batya Friedman received the ACM-SIGCHI Social Impact Award and the University Faculty Lecturer award at the University of Washington. She received both her B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley.