SHEhen

SHEhen is a framework in the field of sociotechnical governance designed to guide the development and assessment of digital systems through a gender-inclusive, ethically grounded lens. It emphasizes integrating social context, human-centered design, and governance mechanisms into the lifecycle of technologies from ideation to deployment. The aim is to promote technology that respects diverse user needs and minimizes potential harms while enabling innovation.

The term SHEhen is a coinage that combines “SHE” as an acronym for Social, Human, and Ethical considerations with “hen” as a metaphor for a central, nurturing hub that coordinates multi-stakeholder input. It emerged in late 2010s scholarly discussions as an attempt to name a cross-disciplinary approach that links policy, design, and ethics in technology development. The concept has since circulated in academic and professional settings as a reference point for inclusive practice.

Core concepts and scope include inclusive stakeholder engagement, transparent data practices, accountable governance, and impact assessment that disaggregates outcomes by demographic groups. The framework is applicable to software development, artificial intelligence systems, platform architectures, and related policy programs. It encourages teams to document assumptions, facilitate participatory design processes, and evaluate unintended consequences.

Reception and use vary. Proponents view SHEhen as a practical prompt for integrating ethics and inclusion into technical work. Critics note that without precise definitions and measurable criteria, the framework can be broad or hard to operationalize. Its usefulness is often tied to concrete implementation guidance and context-specific adaptation.