The Alchemy of Trust: The Creative Act of Designing Trustworthy Socio-Technical Systems

Abstract

Trust is recognised as a significant and valuable component of socio-technical systems, facilitating numerous important benefits.Many trust models have been created throughout various streams of literature, describing trust for different stakeholders in different contexts. However, when designing a system with multiple stakeholders in their multiple contexts, how does one decide which trust model(s) to apply? And furthermore, how does one go from selecting a model or models to translating those into design? We review and analyse two prominent trust models, and apply them to the design of a trustworthy socio-technical system, namely virtual research environments. We show that a singular model cannot easily be imported and directly implemented into the design of such a system. We introduce the concept of alchemy as the most apt characterization of a successful design process, illustrating the need for designers to engage with the richness of the trust landscape and creatively experiment with components from multiple models to create the perfect blend for their context. We provide a demonstrative case study illustrating the process through which designers of socio-technical systems can become alchemists of trust.CCS Concepts: • Human-centered computing → HCI theory, concepts and models; Computer supported cooperative work.

Designing for Trust: Autonomous Animal - Centric Robotic & AI Systems

“…Notions of 'trust' are non-static and can be highly context specific, knowing what models of trust-based interaction to apply to a given context is not a simple task [17]; while deploying autonomous technologies in "the wild" [2] [4] which are effective and useful beyond the confines of the research lab is difficult, due to the 'specifics' and changing nature of the setting and context, and yet it is the real-world settings that can truly inform the design of technologies which animals and people engage. The value of understandings informed by the real-world practices is in their ability to direct the overall design of a system, allowing people to develop a deeper understanding of the practices of both animals and humans in their natural settings, leading to a more responsible and grounded approach to design, that respects [16] animals, and their interactions in a day-to-day context. Understanding, designing for, and negotiating 'Trust' is complex, particularly in contexts where animals, humans, and intelligent systems (including Robotics, AI, & IoT) come together in a social context, in which bonds are created, friendships develop, and mutual care plays a part in the relationship between people and animals.…”