Making good : exploring effective and ethical design on the web : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

Welcome to Making Good, a design exegesis submitted as part of the Master of Design programme at Massey University. This project has dual purposes and outputs. Firstly, it focuses on the design of an online tool charged with making scientific data more accessible to the public in a clear and engaging manner. Working in a collaborative environment, from a human-centred perspective, the project explores methodologies, processes, tools and techniques with which to democratise access to scientific information, and to foreground credibility, transparency and trustworthiness in design for the web. This is a response to a client brief, and the resulting website will be launched in March 2014. In tandem, it is a reflective examination of negotiating the nature of good – as a synonym for ethical – design practice within the digital space, and within a client-facing project. The findings from both research directions are embodied in this response, Making Good.