The Ethical Side of Digital Design

Access and Accessibility, between Foundational Utopia and Contemporaneity

Abstract

The globality and pervasiveness of information technologies, the human-centered approach, the co-design research methods, the attention to usability and accessibility make the digital field a laboratory of experimentation that, since the 90s, has explored the possibilities and impact of design in society transformation. From the founding myth of the Internet – the first weapon of mass construction – to cyber-pessimism, this world has always been crossed by a universalistic and participatory vocation. The Web Accessibility Initiative, the work of the Web Standard Project and national regulations have built the culture, design methods and evaluation tools to make digital accessible. The design of interfaces and the underlying graphic culture have been the scope of research and verification of the inclusive and public utility mission of the design culture in the technological field. The paper proposes a cultural and social path according to a historical-critical perspective between theory, ethics and profession.