Tackling Algorithmic Transparency in Communal Energy Accounting through Participatory Design

Abstract

Algorithmic transparency presents a significant challenge to system developers and users of algorithmic systems alike. Framing the problem as a 'wicked' one, this study tackles the issue of transparency in the EnerCoach energy accounting tool through presenting a situated ethnography of the algorithmic system and exploring the issues and challenges of model transparency and post-hoc explainability therein. By engaging stakeholders through participatory design methodologies, both a conceptual understanding of the problem and material solutions thereof are developed and evaluated. The findings show the promising potential of participatory design methodologies to elevate users to a 'critical audience', and the solutions co-created by the study participants for the challenge of algorithmic transparency. The results also highlight the complexity of the problem: transparency of algorithmic systems must be understood as a multi-facetted and highly contextual, 'wicked' problem that requires diverse methodological interventions to reach 'satisficing' solutions. CCS CONCEPTS• Human-centered computing → Participatory design; Empirical studies in interaction design; Ethnographic studies; • Social and professional topics → Sustainability.

Think about the stakeholders first! Toward an algorithmic transparency playbook for regulatory compliance

“…Participatory design often takes the form of interviewing, holding focus groups, or collaborating directly with the identified stakeholders. For example, in one case study designers successfully created explanations for an ADS being used for communal energy accounting by having conversations directly with the tool’s users (Cech, 2021). In another example, participatory design was used to successfully embed positive data-related values in nonprofit organizations in Australia (McCosker et al, 2022).…”

“…Beyond this approach, there are meaningful low-level steps that can be taken by technologists when it comes to actually implement transparency into ADS. One such step is the use of participatory design, where stakeholders are included directly in design conversations (Eiband et al, 2018;Aizenberg and Van Den Hoven, 2020;Gupta and De Gasperis, 2020;Cech, 2021). We expand on participatory design in Section 5 of this article.…”

Think About the Stakeholders First! Towards an Algorithmic Transparency Playbook for Regulatory Compliance

“…Beyond this approach, there are meaningful low-level steps that can be taken by technologists when it comes to actually implement transparency into ADS. One such step is the use of participatory design, where stakeholders are included directly in design conversations [2,13,21,26]. In one promising study researchers used participatory design to successfully create better algorithmic explanations for users in the field of communal energy accounting [13].…”

“…One such step is the use of participatory design, where stakeholders are included directly in design conversations [2,13,21,26]. In one promising study researchers used participatory design to successfully create better algorithmic explanations for users in the field of communal energy accounting [13].…”

Enerji Muhasebesinde GRI 302 Enerji Raporlama Standardının Rolü: BIST Sürdürülebilirlik Endeksindeki Şirketlerin Raporları Üzerinde Bir Araştırma

“…Bu çalışmalarda genellikle enerji kaynakları ve çeşitleri, enerji yatırımlarından sağlanan enerjinin geri kazanımı, enerji analizi gibi konular ele alındığından literatürde bu çalışmalara yer verilmemiştir. Literatürün geniş olması nedeniyle, bu konularda son yıllarda yapılan çalışmalardan; Cech, 2021;Babakol vd., 2020;Qian vd., 2020;Moriarty & Honnery, 2019;Jiang vd., 2018;Li vd., 2018 vb. örneklerin yer aldığı görülmektedir.…”