My Communication and Leadership Studies (COML) capstone project explores the central question: How can my workplace leverage technology for strategic innovation to enhance personalized digital engagement and communication? To address this, the project will produce a Customer Relationship Management (CRM)-enabled communication strategy toolkit that supports ethical, personalized messaging during the organization’s transition to a new CRM system. Because my workplace is rooted in Jesuit values, the project emphasizes ethical responsibility, social justice, and inclusive engagement. Grounded in communication ethics, it prioritizes transparency, accessibility, and respect for diverse audiences. Ethical frameworks inform the toolkit’s focus on responsible data practices and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, with strategies that promote equity and digital accessibility.

Communication ethics, as defined by Arnett et al. (2009), centers on moral principles such as honesty, respect, fairness, and accountability to guide communication. These principles emphasize the importance of engaging diverse and competing perspectives. The influence communication has on user behavior makes it essential to incorporate ethics into communication design (Yablonski, 2020). Jesuit values reinforce the project's ethical foundation by prompting critical questions about moral responsibility when assigning tasks to automated systems, especially those involving high-stakes decisions (Brooks, 2022). For this reason, communication ethics is vital for constituent-centric communication, especially as organizations rely on automation to personalize messaging and communicate at scale without compromising trust or inclusivity.

Developing Strategies for Responsible Data Use

A strategic priority in my office’s five-year plan is to evaluate the effectiveness of technology and implement improvements. In support of this goal, the project integrates a dialogic learning model (Arnett et al., 2009), emphasizing mutual understanding and responsiveness. The toolkit will feature strategies for continuous feedback loops that gather, analyze, and respond to audience engagement data. According to Peláez et al. (2024), this adaptive process enables timely adjustments and fosters ethical responsiveness and continuous improvement.

As the toolkit addresses responsible data use in personalization and automation, it will provide guidelines for optimizing digital communication while safeguarding constituent privacy. Ethical communication requires assessing technological risks and implementing data minimization policies, including limited data retention (Miller, 2024). Due to the complexity of these challenges, including the need to balance personalization with privacy and to mitigate algorithmic bias, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary (Mirek-Rogowska et al., 2024). The project integrates insights from communication studies and computer science to develop responsible, data-informed strategies. The toolkit will also include a roadmap for responsibly integrating AI technologies into external digital communication. This roadmap will use an anticipatory approach to evaluate projected use cases, emerging tools, and their potential social consequences (Brey, 2017). Together, these strategies ensure CRM-enabled communication enhances engagement while maintaining ethical accountability.

Addressing Accessibility and Equity in Digital Communication

Communication ethics guides the project’s approach to web accessibility and equity by centering fairness, inclusion, and respect. This ethical framework ensures that digital strategies address the diverse needs of users, not only by meeting accessibility standards but also by enhancing usability for all audiences (Schmutz et al., 2016). Because fostering constituent engagement and supporting annual fundraising are primary goals of my workplace’s external communication, ethical and inclusive practices are essential. The project integrates user experience (UX) and accessibility considerations into content delivery, interface design, and visual asset development. Accessibility is treated as a foundational design principle rather than merely a compliance obligation, promoting equitable participation and reinforcing the institution’s responsibility to communicate inclusively and justly.

Project Design

The toolkit will offer guidelines for CRM-enabled, personalized digital engagement. Designed for marketing professionals with low to moderate technological literacy, the materials promote ethical best practices in constituent data collection and AI use. One example of what the toolkit includes is an infographic that summarizes key principles of accessibility and equity in web design. Each component will be downloadable as a PDF to support compatibility with adaptive technologies. As an example of fostering inclusive engagement, the toolkit will provide guidance on selecting marketing visuals that reflect the diversity of the constituent population. A website will house the toolkit, with a landing page that includes introductory text and a directory linking to resources organized around three core areas: responsible data use, AI implementation, and accessibility and equity. Accessibility assessments will be supported by tools such as Adobe Creative Suite.

Conclusion

This capstone is grounded in communication ethics, which informs the project’s design and implementation. Principles such as transparency, accessibility, responsible data use, and audience-centered engagement guide the development of ethical best practices. The project draws on theories including the dialogic model and data privacy frameworks to support responsible, AI-enabled strategies that are both effective and just.

The toolkit will highlight the importance of data quality and its influence on system performance. By emphasizing personalization, ethical responsiveness, and continuous feedback, the project equips the organization to navigate digital transformation with care and accountability. As a Jesuit institution, my workplace is s well-positioned to lead conversations about how AI should be developed and applied with understanding and wisdom. This perspective is supported by Brooks (2022), who emphasizes the moral responsibility involved in assigning tasks to computers, particularly in high-risk contexts that require discernment. These principles strengthen the ethical foundation of the project and contribute to broader conversations about how communication ethics can shape organizational practices in a data-driven world.