A game of KET dilemmas

You sit on the city council of Utopia, a prosperous city in the centre of Europe. Your goal is to maintain the balance in the city between the four pillars of society: environment, health, economy and social peace. If one of these pillars becomes too weak, the public pressure will force you to resign and the game is over.

During the game, you will have to make decisions following the different requests of your fellow citizens. Be careful because your answers will affect these four pillars. Can you make the right choices? Let’s go, the first applicants have arrived.

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DiLemmA O1 of 26

The applicants are a group of citizens. They have concerns about the communication antenna that the company "All Connected" is installing in the park behind their houses. They ask you to stop the project.

You stop the project. The project is stopped, the company "All connected" relocates its activities to another country and you lose 1 economy point.

You let the project go ahead. The project continues, the citizens gather and organise the biggest protest your town has ever seen. You lose 2 social peace points.

This situation shows that the inhabitants were not sufficiently informed about the project. In the future, remember to inform them well before authorising such works. Information is also the company's responsibility. They know their antenna technology best.

DiLemmA O2 of 26

The tenant of a building in the city centre comes in grumbling. They are unhappy that their owner has installed subsidised solar panels on their new house, even though their windows are not well insulated!

You do nothing. In your city, ecology is forever perceived as an advantage for the rich. The sustainable shops in your town are deserted and people stop sorting their waste. You lose 1 health point, 1 environmental point and 2 social peace points.

You extend renovation subsidies to rented accommodation. The tenant leaves delighted, you gain 1 environmental point but you lose 2 economy points.

In the future, don't hesitate to put both tenants and owners around the table to think about housing renovation.

DiLemmA O3 of 26

A hospital patient arrives at the boardroom table in a state of shock. They have just learned that the hospital will first make you go to an appointment with a e-health chatbot. They are afraid that their personal data is used maliciously.

You explain the benefits of a chatbot to them, the difference between the digitalisation of the health system and the personal e-health system. You fumble for words, you stammer and they leave even more confused. You lose 1 point of social peace.

You stop your digitalisation programme for fear of riots. You lose 2 health points and 1 economy point. In addition, the technology company that won the public tender sues you.

Sometimes involving citizens in the design of a new public service may seem long and complicated but it is the assurance that it will be understood, appreciated and used by the majority of people.

DiLemmA O4 of 26

The baker has seen communal workers replacing the street lighting with smart light bulbs. Given your administration's latest fiasco regarding online appointment booking for communal services, they doubt the technological choices being made.

You raise your eyes in annoyance and send them back to where they came from. Do you interfere with how the bread is baked? You lose 1 economy point and 1 point of social peace

You organise a meeting to explain your choices. You gain 1 social peace point but the work is 2 years late so you lose 1 economy point.

The more users are involved in the process at an early stage, the more effective it is.

DiLemmA O5 of 26

Posters appeared in the streets of the city. "Politicians = corruption", "lobbies and councillors: same fight", "with the E-health system, big brother is watching you". How will you deal with this bad climate of trust in your city?

You have the posters torn down and you send a public order letter to all your constituents. The media is infuriated and questions your respect for freedom of speech. You lose 3 social peace points.

You organise a press conference to reassure the population. You gain 1 point of social peace but the problem reappears one year later and you lose 2 points of social peace and 1 point of health.

Creating a climate of confidence is a long-term task based on transparency.

DiLemmA O6 of 26

A biotech factory is being built in your community and the inhabitants are worried. They hear lambs screaming at night. Are they cloning victims?

You do nothing. The company has your full confidence. Genetically modified lambs manage to escape. The local biodiversity is affected. You lose 2 environment points and 1 health point.

You close the factory out of fear for the environment of the town. Too bad, the factory was developing a revolutionary drug. You lose 3 economy points and 1 health point.

When it comes to biotechnology (IVF, cloning, genetic manipulation...), bioethics should be taken very seriously and discussed with all stakeholders.

DiLemmA O7 of 26

Two staff members want to set up a website to poll public opinion on the future of the town, but the rest of the administration is against it. What if private data is hacked by criminals?

You allow the project. You took a risk and lost. The data is resold and the inhabitants hold you responsible. You lose 2 social justice points and 1 economy point.

You forbid the project. You didn't take the risk and it's a pity because the neighbouring town did it and the citizens are very satisfied. Your constituents are jealous. You lose 2 social justice points.

Due to major leaks like Facebook leaks, when it comes to the digitalisation of public services, data processing is a major concern for the public.

DiLemmA O8 of 26

Conspiracy theories are rife on social media in your town. Yesterday it went one step further: the local nurse was attacked by a gang of anti-vaxers because she was preparing to vaccinate the children at school.

You put the attackers in jail and let the situation return to normal. The situation does not return to normal, you are soon pointed out as the leader of the group pro-vaccine and there is a price on your head. You lose 2 social peace points and 2 health points.

You suppress access to social media networks in your town. Your action is useless, people find a way to connect to the dark web and prepare other actions. You lose 2 social justice points and 2 health points.

Divergence in socio-technical imaginaries associated with socio-economic divisions can result in the emergence of communities that are sceptical of science, conservative or even populist or conspiratorial.

DiLemmA O9 of 26

The local farmer wants to use robots to modernise and get off fossil fuels. They ask you for help.

You refuse, the citizens will not look positively on the robotisation of the farm. They are already afraid enough for their jobs. The farmer can't make it. 30 people lose their jobs and an industrial french fries factory sets up instead. You lose 2 social peace points, 2 economy points and 3 environment points.

You help the farm by integrating it into an innovative European project. You gain 2 economy points and 2 environment points but you lose 1 social peace point.

Automation of industries, robotisation and sustainable energies are connected to fear of unemployment.

DiLemmA O10 of 26

A citizen complains that new socks with nano "stuff" are being sold in the local supermarket. They fear for their health.

Although authorised by the public health authorities, you have the socks removed from the supermarket shelves. You lose 4 economy points

You decide to do nothing. You gain 1 economy point but the citizen brings together other people who are also afraid. You now have an anti-nano collective in your town. You lose 3 social peace points.

Public opposition to projects using nano technologies is linked to the fear of long-term health effects.

DiLemmA O11 of 26

You want to develop circularity and sustainability in your city but companies don't see it as a good thing because they think it will slow down their business.

You lead the reform anyway. You gain 3 environment points. One company has left but three new ones have arrived. You also gain 2 economy points.

You give up because you are afraid they will leave. Your city wins the title of most polluted city in Europe. You lose 3 environment points and 2 health points.

Sustainability can be perceived by companies as obstacles to their industrial development. On the other hand, sustainable development can be an opportunity for companies. The three pillars of sustainability are environmental, social and ECONOMIC pillars, so sustainability also means more stability and opportunities for companies.

DiLemmA O12 of 26

An employee at the recycling centre is angry. They now have to deal with recycled material and are convinced that it is bad for their health.

You do nothing. No one wants to recycle anymore. You lose 3 environment points.

You train and raise awareness of recycling among the population. You gain 3 environment points, 1 health point and 1 social peace point.

The lack of information on recycled materials can lead to fears about their quality and toxicity.

DiLemmA O13 of 26

A public survey shows that your constituents are not in good spirits, they are afraid for the future and for their jobs.

You do nothing. The climate of injustice is rising. Citizens are jeopardizing every industrial innovation project you want to support. You lose 3 economy points

You ask local companies and schools to offer innovative professional training. You gain 1 economy point and 2 social peace points.

Pessimism about the future and poor individual economic perspective can lead to disappointment and detachment from science. It is possible to alleviate it and co-construct a more resilient future by giving citizens the opportunity to be involved through training or job search programmes.

DiLemmA O14 of 26

The local robotics company launches a revolutionary product: a lie detector. They use it on your fellow citizens.

You let it happen. This local company is too important for your city's finances. You lose 3 social peace points.

You ban the product from your town. You gain 1 social peace point but lose 4 economic points.

Ignorance of social components in industrial innovation processes could be perceived as a threat to fundamental values such as family or human life.

DiLemmA O15 of 26

All the young people trained in your town are leaving! They have no confidence in the economic and social situation of the city.

You do nothing to stop the process. You lose 3 economy points

You try to make your city attractive to young people. You gain 1 environment point, 2 economy points and 2 social peace points.

Brain drain is often associated with an unstable eco-social climate.

DiLemmA O16 of 26

A repair café is trying to settle in your city but the inhabitants do not want to repair or reuse things.

You run a small communication campaign to change behaviours. You gain 1 environmental point.

You ask the repair café to raise awareness among children in schools. You gain 2 environment points.

There is resistance to repair or reuse because it could be perceived as backsliding for citizens. Yet it is of crucial importance to tackle resource scarcity. Innovation doesn't equal manufacturing a new product, it can also mean improving what we already have, or sharing know-how of how to repair or reuse objects.

DiLemmA O17 of 26

The local science museum is asking for a grant to organise a Science festival to make science more popular among citizens.

You do not accept their request and reduce their grant. Their results are not sufficiently quantifiable. The level of scientific knowledge of your population is not good. Lose 1 economy point , 2 social peace points and 1 environment point.

You increase the grant. You increase citizens' engagement. You gain 1 economy point, 2 social peace points and 1 environment point.

Lack of communication, recognition, budgets and time dedicated to the popularisation of scientific research among the general public has negative impacts on the relationship of citizens to science.

DiLemmA O18 of 26

The local research centre is asking you for a grant to raise awareness of responsible research and innovation among companies.

You do not accept their request. The companies in your community suffer from a bad image. You lose 2 economy points, 1 environment point and 1 social peace point.

You give the grant. You increase companies’ engagement. They gain in reputation and ethics. You gain 1 economy point, 2 social peace points and 1 environment point.

Lack of promotion of responsible innovation and public engagement among companies leads to issues of accountability, ethics, reputation and employment, and it decreases environmental sustainability.

DiLemmA O19 of 26

Hospital patients complain about the lack of communication with doctors.

You invest in a great video conferencing system from the United States. No one understands the software, it is not adapted to the needs of the doctors and patients, so nobody uses it. You lose 2 economy points, 3 health points and 1 social peace point

You propose to a local company to design a video conferencing system tailored to the needs of patients and health professionals. The company co-designs the software with patients and doctors. It is adapted and used by all. You gain 3 health points and 1 social peace point.

There is little upward communication from the public to the professional. There is traditional little communication from patient to healthcare professional outside appointments. Some e-health solutions can help with this.

DiLemmA O20 of 26

You set up an innovation grant but no company applies for it because they are afraid of the paperwork and its complexity.

Too bad! Companies need to adapt. No one responds to your grant and your city does not innovate. You lose 2 economy points and 2 environmental points.

You adapt the conditions of the grant to the needs of the field. Companies and citizens join forces to respond to your grant. Your city is elected Best Responsible Innovation City in Europe. You gain 1 social peace point, 1 health point, 2 environment points and 3 economy points.

Grants and support for innovation can seem complex and slow. However, they are an important source of support for companies to develop new approaches and know-how. Clear communication and guidance may be the key?

DiLemmA O21 of 26

A prefabricated house company has just moved into town. The carpenters, masons and plumbers are on strike because they think that the prefabricated sector is killing small businesses.

You raise awareness among local entrepreneurs so that they can also innovate. Entrepreneurs see a way out of their problems and seek to innovate. You gain 2 economy points and 2 social peace points.

You prefer to do nothing. Entrepreneurs hold you responsible for the economic crisis and will vote against you in the next elections. You lose 3 social peace points and 1 economy point.

Pre-manufacturing means manufacturing all the components of a structure in a factory and then assembling it on site. This method is often wrongly associated with the risk of killing small, specialised contractors who work on site in a traditional way, rather than as an opportunity for innovation accessible to all.

DiLemmA O22 of 26

Citizens need to switch to a connected identity card but are still struggling with the online booking system you implemented last month.

You raise citizens' awareness and adapt the launch date. The citizens end up appreciating the system and are happy with it. You gain 2 points of social peace.

You force change and keep the initial timeline. The citizens are unhappy with the change, their reluctance causes delays in how fast the system is correctly implemented. You lose 1 social peace point and 3 economy points.

Changing habits and lifestyles too quickly can be a problem. User-oriented design and collaboration with social scientists and psychologists can help to adopt a context-sensitive approach to behaviour change.

DiLemmA O23 of 26

You have just signed a public-private partnership with a large e-health company that promises many jobs but the citizens are unhappy.

You set up a programme to enable the company to co-create with citizens the healthcare offer of the future. The company is well received despite initial reluctance. Some of its actions even improve the lives of citizens. You gain 1 social peace point, 2 economy points and 1 health point.

You go backwards to satisfy the citizens. At first the citizens are happy but unemployment remains stable and no other company wants to do business with you. You lose 1 social peace point and 3 economy points.

There is distrust of large corporations associated with profit and obscure patents. Citizens may fear companies will put profit above other values and societal interests. Placing ethics and transparency at the heart of the company's values is beneficial to all.

DiLemmA O24 of 26

You authorise a market research agency to launch a large scientific survey on your territory to better understand the eating habits of the population.

You make the population aware of the reasons and results of the survey. The study is well accepted and the population participates. You gain 2 social peace points and 1 health point.

You let the survey take place without giving further information. This is the role of the survey organisers. It costs you less but nobody participates. The results are not honest because participants don’t understand how data will be used and you lose 1 social peace point and 1 health point.

Lack of transparency about the motives and results of scientific research can hinder participation, both in terms of numbers of participants motivated to contribute, but also in terms of the quality of data. Explaining the purpose of research and providing incentive for participation can help.

DiLemmA O25 of 26

You want to equip the hospital with telemedicine to allow online consultation but doctors, patients and staff are against it.

You collect their opinions and needs to move forward. The good ideas of the participants allow to create a quality service and change some people’s minds. You gain 1 social peace point, 2 health points and 1 environment point.

Forget it, let’s abandon the project. Your health system becomes outdated. You lose 2 social peace points, 1 economy point, 2 health points and 2 environment points.

The implementation of a technology may be accompanied by the fear of the dehumanisation of contacts. This is a common concern in healthcare.

DiLemmA O26 of 26

Due to budget constraints, you have to reduce the science promotion grant for local media to fund roads instead.

Right now, roads are more important than scientific communication but you still leave a small budget for local media. The population is clueless and its scientific knowledge is decreasing. You lose 1 social peace point, 1 economy point, 1 health point and 1 environment point.

You are stopping the grant completely and count on social networks to take over. The population only trusts the fake news found on social networks. You lose 2 social peace points, 1 economy point and 2 health and environment points.

Increasing quality scientific communication is a societal issue as there is a lot of contradictory information on the internet and fake news flying around social networks.

You survived all dilemmas and get to stay in the city council. Congratulations!

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Game over!

One of the pillars has 0 points. The public pressure is too high, you have to resign!

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