Abstract:

Creating any new software system requires a great deal of technical skills, including in the fields of design, development and testing. Additionally, these systems need to be produced in such a way that they have a positive social impact (or at least to not have a negative impact), Using an Exploratory Research approach we identified key themes that embody "social good" (Legal, Accessible, Sustainable, Ethical, Reliable, Secure), and are creating tools (Rubrics, Checksheet, etc.) to use these LASERS themes with students in an MSc in Computer Science programme. These tools allow the students to reflect on their own research plans, as well as evaluating on the research of others. Importantly, this approach has enabled us to explore both how these themes act individually, but also how they impact each other. Presented below is a sample checklist that shows some of the potential considerations that need to be taken into account when using the LASERS Model.

Lasers checklist:
Legal:
- Does the system adhere to all relevant legal regulations?
- Is the system GDPR compliant (including informed consent, transparent data policies, and necessary security measures)?
- Are there any potential intellectual property issues associated with the system (including patents, trademarks, or copyrights)?
- Does the system comply with relevant industry regulations and standards?

Accessible:
- Does the system consider the needs of diverse user groups (including age, size and disability)?
- Does the system meet the needs of users with various disabilities (including visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments)?
- Has the system undergone accessibility testing with users representing diverse abilities?
- Does the system comply with recognized accessibility and usability guidelines (such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)?

Sustainable:
- Is the system economically viable in the long term (including the cost-effectiveness of production and upgrade)?
- What is the environmental footprint of the system, considering all stages of the system from production to disposal?
- Does the system promote resource efficiency and responsible consumption?
- Does the system impact social equity (including the impact on communities, and individual well-being)?

Ethical:
- If the system is involved in decision-making processes, are there mechanisms to ensure explainability and fairness?
- Is there clear accountability established for the system's actions?
- Does the system avoid contributing to digital divides?
- Does the system comply with ethical guidelines and frameworks?

Reliable:
• Does the system have good error checking and error prevention?
• Does the system incorporate fault tolerance mechanisms to handle unexpected failures?
• Is the system always stable, and does it perform consistently?
• Has the system undergone stress testing and performance optimization?

Secure:
- Does the system handle any data being used in a secure way (adhering to any relevant data protection policies and mechanisms)?
- How are user access controls implemented, and is multi-factor authentication used?
- What measures are in place to secure the system with respect to its connection to the internet and other networks?
- Has the system undergone security testing, including penetration testing and code reviews?

Keywords:

Ethics, Sustainability, Legal, Accessibility.