The workshops focus on the following themes:

Situational ethics

Many of the ethical concerns for HCI researchers working in sensitive and emerging areas cannot be fully predicted and planned for at the outset of the research and are often not covered in formal ethical approval documents. In this workshop, we will explore tensions between procedural ethics requirements and the ethical issues that emerge in the doing of research.

Researcher wellbeing and role conflict

Researchers working in sensitive settings may need to develop strategies to protect their emotional wellbeing. In this workshop we invite participants to describe dilemmas they have faced in their role as researchers and to reflect on how they have responded to emotionally challenging situations in their research.

Blurred boundaries

It can be difficult to maintain boundaries and non-bias in research conducted in sensitive settings – particularly when the research takes place “in the wild” and involves considerable time spent with participants. We invite participants to reflect on how they maintain boundaries around their research and to consider situations where it might be more ethically appropriate for the boundaries to become blurred – such as when it becomes necessary to intervene in a difficult situation.

Consent and participation

When working with some vulnerable populations it can be challenging to ensure that research participants are fully informed about the process and voluntarily provide consent to take part in the research. This workshop will consider different strategies for obtaining informed consent and ensuring voluntary participation, particularly when designing or using new technologies that might have unanticipated consequences.

Managing disruption

HCI research often aims to not only understand participants and the worlds they live in, but to also intervene in those worlds through the design, implementation, and evaluation of new technologies. We can never be certain about how new technologies will be used and the disruption they might create in people’s lives. How can HCI researchers anticipate and respond to the disruption technologies may cause, especially in sensitive settings?