Research in the Automated Future
Summary
Ovetta will talk with us about reinvigorating the practice by incorporating Design Anthropology into our research tool-kits and further broadening our set of methodologies to include new research methods for AI/ML design.
Key Insights
-
•
Design and research are tightly intertwined; it's often impossible to tell where one ends and the other begins.
-
•
Machine learning models primarily predict based on past data rather than interact dynamically with the environment.
-
•
Intelligent systems involve multi-agency contexts where both humans and machines have decision-making power.
-
•
Unlike static software, AI systems are dynamic, learning and evolving based on interactions and data.
-
•
Design research for AI must be future-focused and speculative, addressing not just usability but cultural values and trust.
-
•
Bias in AI is complex, involving mathematical, statistical, cognitive, and human biases requiring nuanced mitigation.
-
•
Researchers and designers need high AI and data literacy to influence data inputs and model fairness, not just outputs.
-
•
Explainability in AI is challenging, especially with neural networks, necessitating governance and 'glass box' approaches.
-
•
Design anthropology and participatory methods help uncover unspoken human practices important for automated systems.
-
•
Speculative prototypes (provocation prototypes) and perpetual synthesis support ongoing learning about future AI use.
Notable Quotes
"Design is the conscious and intuitive effort to impose meaningful order to chaos."
"Our role as designers and researchers will be to determine what not to design to preserve human culture and values."
"Machine learning models can see, hear, think, and act but are limited to problem-solving based on past observations."
"The relationship between a user and AI system is multi-agency; both have agency to act and influence outcomes."
"The nuance is the enemy of machine learning and AI; they struggle with ambiguity where humans thrive."
"Research for AI must go beyond single agency frameworks to consider complex ecosystems and multi-modal environments."
"It's not about looking under the hood of the model, but about what data goes into the hood that you can influence."
"There are many types of bias—mathematical, statistical, cognitive, human—and they affect AI outcomes differently."
"Explainability requires transparency at every stage with governance ensuring fairness and equity in model building."
"Speculative research requires participatory methods, putting people into future scenarios, because people often can't articulate what they will want."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Ambiguity is totally normalized here and there’s a baseline acceptance that the business is kind of unknowable."
Rebecca GimenezWork in Progress: Service Design at Airbnb
December 3, 2024
"Crisis can empower global communities and bring equity to practitioners worldwide."
Lada GorlenkoTheme 2 Intro
June 9, 2022
"Put more in than you take out — that’s the rule of thumb I give for contributing to repositories."
Brigette Metzler Dana ChrisfieldResearch Repositories: A global project by the ResearchOps Community
August 27, 2020
"Instead of telling the story, bring in actual users to tell their frustration directly to your team and execs."
Discussion
June 9, 2017
"Community and ‘the phone a friend’ are what get you through the hardest parts of working in government."
Sarah Brooks Jennifer PahlkaFireside chat with Sarah Brooks and Jen Pahlka
October 21, 2021
"We prioritize speaking with people who are most in need of support so we can better understand and design for all potential users of PFML."
Lisa Spitz Nikki BrandBuilding Trust Through Equitable Research Practices
November 18, 2022
"Don’t bluff regulated healthcare UX experience; everyone will know, and it’s harmful to your team and clients."
Theresa NeilDesigning for Wellness: Specializing in Healthcare
May 22, 2024
"I haven’t gone more than one day without seeing a new gen AI tool that promises to do it all with a single prompt."
Maverick Chan Claire LinFrom Doodle to Demo: AI as Our Storytelling Partner
October 23, 2025
"When we’re mobilized or immobilized, our IQ literally drops by half and our peripheral vision narrows."
Alla WeinbergDesign Teams Need Psychological Safety: Here’s How to Create It
September 8, 2022
Latest Books All books
Dig deeper with the Rosenbot
What is the evolving role of researchers of one in organizations practicing democratized research?
What are effective behaviors that design operations teams should focus on to deliver value and build trust?
What steps help build trust and healing in communities affected by historical traumas during engagement?