Anti-Hero Card Deck

“It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero…”

Now is the moment to illuminate ethical dimensions of your design work

As designers, our responsibility extends beyond mere aesthetics and business goals; it encompasses shaping a world that aligns with our ethical compass and user-centered approaches. We envision these cards to be used in settings of design practice and education.

Embrace a fresh perspective on ethical design with the Anti-Hero card deck. As you navigate the difficult conflicts between manipulative tendencies and value-centered roles, allow the Anti-Hero card deck to be a catalyst to incite meaningful design conversations. Dive deep into discussions about the implications of design choices, considering not only their immediate impact but also their broader consequences for society and the environment. By embracing the Anti-Hero card deck, you open the door to a more comprehensive understanding of the ethical dimensions of your work, paving the way for design solutions that are not only visually appealing and commercially successful but also ethically sound and socially responsible.

Reimagine your design dialogue with the Anti-Heroes

Download your Anti-Hero deck today and bring it to your next brainstorm or team meeting. Use the cards as a catalyst for stimulating discussions about the ethical implications inherent in design decisions. Explore questions of scale, usage, equity, and access as you delve into the ethical dimensions of your work. The goal of the role cards is not for a designer to choose a particular Anti-Hero or Hero, but rather for them to engage with these roles using the Action Cards to better understand their own values and motivations that shape ultimate design outcomes.

Discover dual perspectives with the Heroes

The Hero roles act as value-centered counterparts to each Anti-Hero role, deliberately creating a tension between the Hero and Anti-Hero perspectives. Flipping the Anti-Hero side of each card reveals the Hero card, which serves as a contrast or corresponding counterpart. Together, these dual-sided cards form a unified entity, amplifying the ethical contrast and opposing approaches in designer’s intentions and value trade-offs.

Empower your team with Action Cards

Complement your ethical exploration with Action Cards designed to spark critical thinking and foster constructive dialogue in design action. From evaluation techniques to reverse brainstorming and ethical dialogue, these Action Cards act as a supplement to address ethical considerations through reflective practice at every stage of the design process.

Assessing a digital artifact for iteration and user-values, by asking:
How much are we shutting down user’s choice? {As an Anti-Hero}
How much are we valuing user’s agency? {As a Hero}
Having a conversation related to ethical and manipulative intentions or outcomes, by asking:
What values are inscribed in this solution? What have we still not talked about? {As an Anti-Hero}
How much are we not giving considering ethical considerations? {As a Hero}
Generating ideas that are contrary to the desired outcome, by asking:
How can we create the worst user experience? {As an Anti-Hero}
How can we iterate for user values? {As a Hero}