Project Overview:

My PhD research explores how ethics is done in digital design practice in corporate environments to locate ethics in design practice. I began this research in October 2022 and aim to complete it in 2028.

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The project looks beyond ethical frameworks and principles to understand how designers experience, interpret, and act on ethical issues in their day-to-day work. Through this research, I hope to contribute to ongoing conversations about ethics in design and provide insights useful to both researchers and practitioners.

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Research Questions:

Main Research Question: Where is ethics located within design practice?

Sub‑questions:

• How do designers perceive their ethical context?  (agency/constraint)

• How relevant are ethics tools and methods?

• How do designers enact ethics within workplace settings?

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Progress to Date:

Introduction

• Developed the opening chapter, setting out the purpose, context, and significance of the research.

• Defined the research objectives and outlined the contribution the study aims to make.

Literature Review:

• Conducted a thematic analysis of academic literature on design ethics.

• Identified key themes, areas of debate, and opportunities for further research.

Methodology Design:

• Defined the research approach for the empirical phase of the study.

• Designed a three-stage framework to guide data collection and analysis.

Empirical Study:

• Conducted 16 interviews with design practitioners between January and June 2025.

• Anonymised and cleaned all interview data to prepare it for analysis.

• Completed the coding of interview transcripts using a systematic qualitative analysis process.

• Identified recurring patterns and themes across participant responses.

• Commenced the analysis of findings in relation to each research question.

• Begun drafting the findings and analysis chapters, developing the narrative and evidence base for each research question.

 

Next Steps:

• Complete the analysis and write-up for each research question, drawing together findings from the empirical study and relating them to the existing literature.

• Continue drafting the thesis chapters, including the findings, discussion, and conclusion chapters.

• Refine the conceptual and theoretical contributions emerging from the research.

• Validate and strengthen interpretations through ongoing review and supervisor feedback.

• Disseminate emerging findings through conference presentations, academic publications, professional forums, and industry engagement activities.

• Develop practical recommendations for digital design practitioners and organisations based on the research findings.

• Prepare the final thesis for submission and examination.

 

Why This Research Matters:

Ethics is often discussed as a set of principles, frameworks, or tools. This research focuses on something slightly different: where ethics is located within design practice and how designers navigate ethical questions in real-world settings.

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By better understanding these experiences, the research aims to support more informed ethical decision-making and contribute to conversations about responsible digital design, design education, and professional practice.

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Reflections on my PhD Journey:

My PhD journey has been both challenging and rewarding.

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The first year involved learning an entirely new way of thinking and working. I spent countless hours attending webinars, reading research, exploring methodologies, and learning how academic research is conducted. Like many doctoral researchers, I followed several promising paths before eventually narrowing the focus of my study. While not every path led where I expected, each one helped shape the research that exists today.

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Research can be a solitary experience at times. Much of the work happens quietly through reading, writing, analysing data, and thinking through ideas. What has made a real difference, however, is the support of others along the way. In particular, my study buddy, Rachel Wood, has provided encouragement, perspective, and many valuable conversations throughout the process.

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Although there is still plenty of work ahead, the journey has already been a source of significant personal and intellectual growth. I'm excited to continue exploring this topic and contributing to our understanding of ethics in digital design practice.