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Short abstract:

This contribution shares three in-progress prototypes that aim to integrate ethical reflection into the tech development processes of early-stage technology startups, developed via co-participatory action research and centering dignity.

Long abstract:

This contribution reflects upon co-participatory action research conducted over 2021-2023 with three early-stage technology startups and one tech ecosystem-enabling organization who desire to "be responsible". Grounded in complex adaptive systems, I suggest that ethical reflection in technology development needs to occur in the earliest stages of an organization's formation because systems such as an organization are sensitive to initial starting conditions. Further, drawing upon second-order cybernetics, technologists are not passively observing the systems they create but are a part of their formation. As such, this work assumes that the co-founders and technology builders themselves need to conduct ethical reflection, tackling their implicit value systems as they do so. My role, as STS scholar, is one of co-reflector, co-participator and intervenor in over 25 participatory workshops across these organizations. This work forms part of my PhD and builds upon a decade of industry experience advising in organizational strategy and culture. Together, we prototyped three different ways to integrate ethics into tech development centering dignity: an algorithmic review and design framework that centers dignity, a reflection tool which surfaces implicit values, and a process for developing responsible AI pledges. Further, to engage with ethical evaluation, the organizations experimented with using Generative AI to assist in holding themselves to account to their values during coding and product development processes. This work provides a rich context to further discuss and exchange ideas and experiences around what it could mean to integrate ethics into early technology development.