Hey, Willi Kampmann you pose a deep question, “How do we combine value-based design with advertising and microtransaction business model?”
Business Model Challenge for Designers Who Care.
I'm not ignorant of the business model challenge.
This is part of our current tech culture challenge, “How can digital product makers care deeply about people when it seems counter to the business model?”
Two reasons I left it out of this conversation:
1.) The size of the post.
2.) Because I think the business model factor can appear to be an unstoppable force “in theory” and it’s hard to get beyond — your question is a topic on its own. 😬
However, I see founders, designers, engineers and product people, etc, as people who are trying to do art in a machine, whenever that machine maybe.
Prison Guards
I have a friend who has worked at a state prison for many years. I remember when he first started, he talked with disgust at the people he was charged with watching. After the first year being around him was hard. His language became intently negative and vulgar. Luckily, my friend got some good guidance and after time his rhetoric toward prisoners.
Basically, he didn’t treat them like scum, instead, he found that it was better for his own mental health to see the prisoners as people working out life and worthy of some level of respect (of course the level of respect varies and the topic of “respect in prison” is likely a book worthy subject on its own.)
The makers of social media platforms, advertising networks, and microtransaction products may be closer to this prison guard and inmate relationship then is comfortable to admit.
Prisoners are people. If we stop treating prisoners as people, they appear to lose their humanity and we will soon lose ours.
I don’t mean to paint too dark a picture and no metaphor is perfect.
The makers of products need to understand they have a position of influence whether intended or not.
If you’re working for a company that advertises to people, maybe there is a way to still care?
Culture is Shifting
If users want products that respect them then there will be room for products and companies that work within the ad and microtransaction space who respect people as part of their core offering.
Unfortunately, this may need to come more from new companies.
Dignity is the start — not sure there is an “Answer.”
I think what I wrote in the article is still what’s needed no matter what you are building.
There is more we can do beyond ethical statements but its likely contextual to each product and still starts with the mindset and worldview of those creating product to see their responsibility to those who use their products.
from article:
Assume people have dignity and know that what you have built takes other people’s finite time. Connect what you measure with the people you are measuring. The more usage, the more impact and responsibility we have.
