ABSTRACT
A central tenet for human-computer interaction and decision support system design is the emphasis on the humancentered approach. Human cognitive strengths and weaknesses, the variability of human response, and sometimes unpredictable decision making behavior by both human and computer, require that engineers and designers not only understand the physical limitations of a system, but also attempt to predict how human-computer interactions could introduce potentially dangerous and life threatening situations. However, one element that is often overlooked in design of these systems is the ethical and social impact that interactions can have on the individual operator, a team, and society at large. Engineers who design decision support systems (DSSs) and computer interfaces have a number of additional ethical responsibilities beyond those of engineers who only interact with the mechanical or physical world. When the human element is introduced into decision and control processes, entirely new layers of design, social, and ethical issues (to include moral responsibility) emerge, but are not always recognized as such. Ethical and social impact issues can arise during all phases of design, and identifying and addressing these issues as early as possible can help engineers to both analyze a domain more comprehensively, as well as suggest specific design guidance.
