Ethical principles
Learn how to use our ethical principles.Our ethical design principles are a set of ideals to guide how MOJ services are designed and built over time.
Although it may not be possible to apply all of the principles, use them as inspiration to improve how you work.
How to use the principles
Your team should run a collaborative session together to review and answer the following questions.
When to use the principles
Depending on what delivery phase your product is in, you can use the principles to prepare for a service assessment.
If your team is not preparing for a service assessment, you can still use the principles at any time to reflect on the ethics of your service. Alternatively, you could do an ethics review instead.
The principles
Minimise harm
How might we minimise harm and maximise wellbeing (both physically and mentally)?
Prioritise people
How might we treat people as people, not as numbers or targets for the organisation?
Include everyone
How might we provide equal opportunities and resources for all individuals and groups?
Balance power
How might we try to balance power appropriately:
- between different user groups?
- between users and government?
Be honest
How might we avoid misleading or deceiving people?
Respect people’s property
How might we keep people’s property safe and handle it with care? This includes their personal data.
Take responsibility
How might we make sure the whole team is responsible for making the product or service ethical? This includes making sure everyone:
- agrees on what they need to do
- is clear on what their responsibility is
- understands which parts they own