There seems to be two schools of thought in the IxDA community regarding how a design should influence a user behavior. On one side there are designers who simply try to support existing behavior patterns, on the other hand designers attempt to directly influence a users behavior pattern. Some argue that it is unethical to directly try to influence, or change, a users behavior without them knowing it. In my opinion, if you are not causing the user undue harm by modifying their behavior, it is fair game.

From a global point of view, both schools of thought end up doing the same thing. If a designer is simply supporting existing behavior, they are influencing the user to keep doing the same old thing. A designer who looks to directly effect the behavior of a user can drive innovation for new products, services, and methods. They don’t get caught up in what the user does today, but what they might do tomorrow.

Do you think there is an ethical issue here? If we can’t design new ways of doing things, does this stifle innovation? What camp do you fall in?