Three HCI researchers from MintLab (Meaningful Interactions Lab) from the KULeuven came to explain their research on how to practically go about explaining algorithms and taking that consideration into account in the build phase of an algorithm. The researchers - Luciana Monteiro Krebs (from Brasil) - Oscar Alvarado (from Costa Rica) - Elias Storms The presentation went into - what HCI is? - the cooperation with the CiTiP team - how to make a privacy policy more accessible ? - the research methodology on the experience with (assumed) visible results of suggestion algorithms on news providers (focus on social media)? - first ideas on how to improve the openness on the inner workings of an algorithm The presentation was at the VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), with the help of VRG Brussels.

1. Algorithmic Transparency & Accountability in Practice

2. Do you use
any of these
platforms?
• Amazon
• Instagram
• Netflix
• Spotify
• …

3. News
• Google
• Bing
• Social media
• …

4. Interaction
time!
How many times have you noticed a coffee-related ad
on your newsfeed while having breakfast?
(Or similar experiences)
You can respond once.
This question is anonymous. No names will be
tracked.
https://pollev.com/oscaralvarad759

5. HCI
Research
Human-Computer Interaction
Questions of design
in a computerized world

6. ISO 9241-210
http://iso9241-210.blogspot.com/2010/04/iso-9241-210-on-ilmestynyt-korvaa-iso.html

7. Within the field of human computer interaction (HCI) and
design thinking, there has been a growing shift from what is
called user-centered design, where the end-user plays a
central but rather passive role, towards co-design or
participatory design, in which (end-)users are actively
involved in the design process
“
“
Sanders & Stappers (2012)

8. Research Goal
Explore design principles & guidelines
for algorithmic transparency
Topic:
News curation and recommendation in
social media feeds

9. Why together?

10. Legal - HCI
Research
• How to present their rights?
• How to make they real / effective?
How are users
receiving this
information?
What is missing?
What is the
platform
communicating?
Privacy
policy
Outcomes
Legal Experts
Co-design
Design
elements
Empirical surveys
1, 2 and 4

11. • Users’ perspective
• Attention to
– Algorithmic experience
(Alvarado & Waern 2018)
– Algorithmic imaginaries (Bucher 2017)
& folk theories(Eslami ea 2016)
– Returning voice & control
(Harambam ea 2018)
• How to complement
“right to explanation”
in design?
Approach

12. READ THE PRIVACY POLICY

13. User path in different devices

14. User path in different devices

15. • Summary of main points
• Table of content
• Icons
Language(s)
and formats

16. • Audiovisual explanations
• Expanding text layers
Language(s)
and formats

17. Personal Data

18. Personal Data(Sensitive)

19. Research
Techniques
Co-design
In practice:
Diary study
Workshop

21. Diary study
‘sensitizing activity’

24. Co-design Workshops

25. To leave room for creativity and freedom of thought whilst guiding the
participants in their creative process and ensuring useful results.
Co-design workshop

27. Relaxed, creative atmosphere
Mitigate social dynamics
(equal amounts of input and chances to talk)
Provide participants with necessary tools to be creative
Structured approach

28. Research
Techniques
Later stage:
Prototypes
Testing

31. Prototype
/ mock up
Alvarado & Waern (2018)

32. https://www.ttclabs.net/design/making-data-controls-more-human

33. CiTiP | Ingrid, Pierre, Jef, Aleksandra, Laurens
Mintlab | Elias, Luciana, Oscar, David
Thanks
Oscar Alvarado
Oscar.Alvarado@cs.kuleuven.be
Luciana Monteiro Krebs
Luciana.MonteiroKrebs@student.kuleuven.be