Developing a living lab in ethics: Initial issues and observations

Area of Science:

• Ethics
• Participatory Research
• Knowledge Translation

Background:

• Living labs are interdisciplinary, participatory initiatives connecting research with practice.
• Their open, discussion-oriented nature is suitable for ethical reflection and practice change.
• Living labs have not been extensively reported in ethics literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report and discuss initial challenges in establishing a living lab for ethics.
• To explore the application of living labs in ethical reflection and problem-solving.
• To inform theoretical, methodological, and practical approaches for using living labs in ethics.

Main Methods:

• Discussion paper format, informed by practical experience.
• Identification and analysis of four key issues in setting up an ethics living lab.
• Alignment with 'living ethics' principles and the É-LABO initiative.

Main Results:

• Four critical issues were identified: goal setting, operational procedures, community/project selection, and challenge framing.
• Paths taken to address these issues are presented.
• Challenges are viewed as learning opportunities, encouraging 'why' questions alongside 'how' questions.

Conclusions:

• Establishing an ethics living lab involves specific challenges in goal definition, operations, and participant engagement.
• The 'living ethics' approach frames challenges as opportunities for deeper ethical inquiry.
• This work provides guidance for adopting living labs in ethical research and practice.