[Air-L] Critical Alternatives Conference workshops (due May 15): Charting the Next Decade for Value Sensitive Design and Multi-Lifespan Information System Design

[Katie Derthick]

Announcing two workshops: *Charting the Next Decade for Value Sensitive
Design *or *Multi-Lifespan Information System Design*, to be held at the
fifth decennial Aarhus conference, Critical Alternatives, which aims to set
new agendas for theory and practice in computing for quality of human life.

Critical Alternatives 2015
5th Decennial Aarhus Conference
Denmark
August 17-21, 2015
http://aarhus2015.org

Consider attending one or both of these workshops which are sure to be
stimulating. Position papers are *due May 15, 2015*.

*Charting the Next Decade for Value Sensitive Design*
https://chartingvsd2015.wordpress.com

This workshop brings together scholars of human-centered computing,
computer sciences, intelligent systems, ethics, philosophy and related
fields to critically discuss their experiences, case studies and critical
reflections of using value sensitive design (VSD) and setting the agenda
for VSD in the next decade. The workshop intends to:

   - Build a network of support between the novice and expert researchers
   in VSD
   - Discuss and critique various adaptations and appropriations of VSD
   - Explore differences in VSD methods for short versus long term projects
   - Discuss opportunities for collaboration among the community (e.g.
   establishing an online VSD repository)
   - Reflect on the last 20 years of VSD research and create a roadmap for
   VSD in the coming decade

Value Sensitive Design is a well-established design framework for
accounting for designers’ and stakeholders’ values in ICT design. With the
growth of the world-wide VSD community in the last 20 years, the framework
has matured, a multitude of VSD-specific methods have been developed and
design cases in diverse domains (e.g. medical applications, homelessness,
urban planning, robotics) have been carried out. This is a good time to
take a step back, reflect on the achievements of the last 20 years and
discuss open issues and new directions for the future. In particular, it is
our intention to strengthen the VSD community across different countries
and disciplines, support novice researchers in the field, and work towards
a shared repository of VSD theories and practices.

While VSD has proven to be a guiding methodology for the design of ICT
systems that go beyond mere usability and user experience, new challenges
lie ahead. With the ongoing changes from personal computing to large
networked systems and computation embedded into the environment we need to
shift our focus from single user values to social values. Working together
across disciplines on value sensitive solutions in the age of ubiquitous
computing is indispensable and setting the roadmap for this endeavor is one
of the foci of this workshop.

The following list reflects (but is not limited to these) possible topics
for workshop papers:

   - VSD cases highlighting: designing for a particular value, aspects of
   the design process, VSD in particular domains (healthcare, intelligent
   systems, robotics, multi-lifespan computer systems…)
   - Lessons learned/ Critical reflection on VSD in the last 20 years
   - New methods for discovering, communicating, trading-off values
   - Evaluations of VSD processes and resulting technologies
   - Values in emerging ICTs (e.g. interpretive flexibility, infinite
   number of ethical problems due to many possible futures)
   - VSD’s role in Big Data Sciences, e-Social Sciences and Digital
   Humanities
   - VSD in the age of pervasive/ubiquitous computing (smart homes, smart
   cities, Internet of things, quantified self…)
   - VSD’s role in informing policy-making
   - Revealing areas and opportunities for future directions
   - Ideas for VSD practice across institutions
   - Perspectives for future large-scale applications of VSD


*Multi-Lifespan Information System Design*
https://multilifespan.wordpress.com

We invite individuals interested in longer-term thinking & interactive
systems to attend our workshop  “Multi-lifespan Information System Design”,
at the Aarhus 2015 Conference in Denmark.

Workshop Framing:

Genocide. HIV/AIDS. Famine. Deforestation. Forced exodus. These problems
share some commonalities. In one way or another, they entail widespread
losses to human beings, to other sentient beings, or to the natural world;
moreover, those losses are not likely to be made up within the time frame
of a single human lifespan (if ever). It is also the case that information
and the interactive processes around information may have much to
contribute to the solutions of these problems. How then might we explicitly
address this class of problems through information system design? What
unique opportunities exist for interactive information systems? What
rigorous design knowledge and methods are needed to make progress? In a
field known for cutting edge innovation, where devices over five years old
are regarded as legacy, how can researchers and designers begin to consider
processes and solutions that likely extend beyond a single human lifespan?
These questions lay out critical considerations for the multi-lifespan
information system design.

In this workshop we draw on the organizers’ background and participants’
research and personal experiences in encountering significant societal
issues that will unfold over very long periods of time. Our aim is to: (1)
elaborate and identify new opportunities and challenges in taking up
multi-lifespan information system design problems, and (2) generate
critical and constructive discussions for further development of the
multi-lifespan information system design thinking.

Who should attend?

Participants with diverse backgrounds and design experiences, including but
not limited to, researchers, practitioners, designers, and educators.
Please submit a position paper (https://multilifespan.wordpress.com/submit/
) no later than May 15th.

--
Katie Derthick
PhD Candidate
Human Centered Design & Engineering
University of Washington
derthick at uw.edu