Engineering Project Proposal
Ethical Issues
The engineering design has certain ethical concerns that arise during the design and development of the technological processes, products, services, and systems. The ethical issues can be understood as a concern that can be resolved by considering not only the technical components but also the moral values. To ensure that the project is effective in addressing the need of the targeted population, several ethical issues should be assessed. The company’s main purpose is to design appropriate equipment tailored and customized to meet the unique needs of people with disabilities. As a result, there is a need to evaluate various ethical issues that can significantly impact its products and ensure that it addresses the unique needs of customers.
In the adjustment of the equipment to cater to individuals with a restrictive disability, the company should consider ethical issues such as safety, sustainability, privacy, and user autonomy. The majority of ethical concerns on technological development focus on the user interface. In the design of the company’s equipment, there is a need to assess all the ethical issues and develop products that can help achieve the established objectives.
The project should come up with sustainable products. Currently, there is an increasing need for organizations to develop green products with little impact on the environment. The increase in the rate of global warming has necessitated the need for companies to engage in sustainable practices to reduce the level of global warming. The company should thus consider the use of the materials that are sustainable and disposable. Since the products are developed mainly for people living in rural areas, it is important to consider that they are adapted to such environmental conditions to ensure that they efficiently and effectively function.
Safety is another ethical concern that should be addressed when designing special equipment for people living with disabilities in rural areas. The company should ensure that the developed products are safe for all users. The development of faulty products can compromise the lives and welfare of customers. Furthermore, the company can face several lawsuits and penalties when they produce faulty products that can interfere with the lives of people living with disabilities. To ensure that it developed appropriate products, it should work with various stakeholders that include the community, customers, health professionals, and government agencies. Working with relevant stakeholders can ensure that quality is guaranteed and thus improves its safety.
It is also important that the project considers the privacy of individuals that it serves. The main customers of the company will be disabled individuals. Since it will be dealing with the design and development of the wheelchair for people living with disabilities, the company should ensure that it protects the confidentiality of the customers. The company will have to collect certain information from customers such as age, gender, type of disability, special needs, and other demographic backgrounds to facilitate the design of wheelchairs tailored to meet the needs of each targeted customer. Such information proves sensitive and should not be revealed to third parties by the employees or management of the company.
The major issue that can impact the operation of the company is the ability to reach a large customer base in rural areas. The rural areas are normally marked by poor infrastructures such as roads and other amenities. The company might find some challenges in reaching targeted customers across the country. Also, the company needs to design the products that cater to various rural regions in the country. This can include different areas with varying environmental and climatic conditions. Essentially, the company can spend a huge amount of money to design unique products for each region and the customers.
There is also a chance that the company can be perceived as discriminatory in developing its products. The focus of many organizations should be on ensuring equality in the production of the products and services. Although the company is focusing on improving the welfare of people with disabilities in rural regions, it can attract controversies related to the act of discrimination. The company should thus address the issue of discrimination by ensuring that it considers all the customers within its areas of operation and equally address their needs. It should also consider people with different types of disabilities when developing a customized wheelchair. The company should promote the timely delivery of the products to the targeted individuals. However, given that rural regions are large, it might not be feasible for the developed products to reach to the clients in various areas within the stipulated time. However, the focus company should be on the satisfaction of the consumers by giving quality products promptly.
Lastly, the diversity of the customers can have a significant impact on the choice of products that can serve targeted customers. In many rural areas, the customers are often subscribed to specific cultural beliefs that have significant impacts on their operation. The cultural values normally determine the design of the products to meet the local needs of the customers. Given that each region has a unique culture, it can prove challenging for the company to come up with products that cater to the diverse needs of customers.