Summary
msg Plaut is an Austrian IT consultancy and a leading industry player in the field of Digital Humanism. We asked Dr. Svenja Schröder, Head of Requirements Engineering, to walk us through their implementation of IEEE 7000, on Ethical Concerns during System Design, in the design of one of their projects.
Could you describe the objectives and goals of the project, and how it fits within the wider discussion on ethical systems design and digital humanism?
One way we bring ethical systems design and digital humanism principles into practice is through the IEEE 7000 standard, which provides methodologies for integrating ethical values into system and software design.
A recent project with Austria’s largest private educational service provider demonstrates the value of this approach. The organisation supports young people and adults in their career paths through coaching, training, and apprenticeships. Together, we are developing a new ERP system that incorporates an AI-powered assistant.
From the outset, we anticipated that such a system could raise ethical and operational concerns. To address these, we applied the IEEE 7000 methodology in a series of workshops. These sessions ensured that potential risks were identified and mitigated early, while ethical considerations were built into the system design from the very beginning.
From your industry experience, what benefits do you see in applying a standard like IEEE 7000, and what lessons have you learned so far?
Our experience has shown that applying the IEEE 7000 standard offers tangible benefits such as acting as an ethical lens on development – projects can be examined critically, including their underlying business models. It also helps with risk anticipation, especially for AI-driven solutions, as it allows systematic identification of risks and blind spots, finally with regards to stakeholder engagement, we built trust – including with their work council – to address concerns, and ensured user acceptance at an early stage. Feedback from our client confirmed the value of this process, highlighting the workshops as a platform to openly address their concerns, worries, and wishes.
What are your next steps, and how do you plan to use IEEE 7000 in future projects?
We are preparing to publish a second book on methods and practices in the field of digital humanism and will continue to embed IEEE 7000 into future projects. For us, standards such as IEEE 7000 are not just technical frameworks but essential tools for building a digital future that is human-centred, ethical, and sustainable.