Developing an AI Concept Envisioning Toolkit to Support Reflective Juxtaposition of Values and Harms
For AI designers, this toolkit addresses the problem of abstract values and harms being addressed too late in the design process, though the contribution is incremental as it builds on existing value-sensitive design methods.
The paper introduces the AI Concept Envisioning Toolkit, which helps designers reflect on values and harms early in AI design. In a survey of 30 designers and interviews with 12, the toolkit was found to be clear, valuable, and effective at encouraging value reflection and harm anticipation.
Early-stage concept envisioning is a critical juncture in AI design, shaping how designers frame problems and the decisions that follow. Yet values and potential harms are often too abstract or addressed too late to meaningfully shape design. Using a Research-through-Design (RtD) approach, we developed the AI Concept Envisioning Toolkit, comprising an AI Capability Library, 24 Value--Harm Cards, and a Value--Tension Map, to support reasoning by juxtaposing values and harms within AI technical capabilities. Through a survey with 30 designers and in-depth interviews with 12 designers, we find that the toolkit is clear and perceived as valuable, and that it encourages value reflection, helps anticipate potential harms, and makes ethical considerations more transparent in early-stage design. We reflect on our design process and discuss design approaches for tools that promote reflection on values and potential harms, surface and navigate value tensions, and introduce productive friction throughout design workflows.