A Taxonomy of Design Futures Processes for Ethical Reflection on Technologies

Anticipating the ethical and societal risks of emerging technologies has become an urgent challenge as their rapid integration into everyday life can produce far-reaching social consequences. In response, Design Futures practices are gaining traction within HCI and design as approaches to critically examine and anticipate the implications of technology. Yet, systematic knowledge on how these practices are structured to foster ethical reflection remains limited. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review of 32 case studies employing Design Futures to engage with ethical concerns. Drawing from this review, we present a Taxonomy of Design Futures Processes for Ethical Reflection, which illustrates how different activities, actors’ involvement, and types of futures generated shape the scope of ethical discussion. This taxonomy provides researchers and practitioners with practical guidance for creating Design Futures activities that foster ethical reflection on technology.