Confronting Data through Design Methods – Speculating with Generative AI (GAI)

28-30 May 2024

Title:
Confronting Data through Design Methods – Speculating with Generative AI (GAI)

Contact person:
Naja Holten Møller, naja@di.ku.dk

The course is offered as a collaboration between DIREC, ITU and UCPH.

Course website:
https://phdcourses.ku.dk/detailkursus.aspx?id=111811&sitepath=NAT

Lecturer(s):
Please see the course website linked to above

Date(s) of the course:
28-30 May 2024

Location:
The course is held at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen

Course description:

This course is aimed at PhD students, researching within the fields of Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW),
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Science- and Technology Studies (STS), Participatory Design (PD) & Critical
Data Studies, but the course is open to PhD students from all areas of work- and design studies. The course is given as a
mix of hands-on exercises with GenAI tools and lectures and seminars on speculative design and critical responses to
GenAI interwoven throughout the 3-day course. In addition, the students engage in peer-feedback as part of the
development of their essays, which focus on applying GenAI in relation to their own PhD project.

The overall aim of the course is to explore how we can use design methods to probe, construct, question, and critique
different types of data. The goal of the course is that participants are introduced to both theoretical, concrete, and
practical knowledge about different modes of doing research through design as well as gaining an overview of current
debates regarding how data-driven technologies can be made ethical and responsible.

This year’s course focus on applying GenAI for data analysis within this area of research.

The rapid introduction of GAI into organizational work through formal digital transformation initiatives as well as
informal adoption of freely available tools is quickly reconfiguring the conditions of collaborative organizing and the
means through which we speculate futures labor and society. How do we approach, for example, which practices and
skills we automate or retain as requiring human experience? What futures are rendered more realizable through AIenhanced
data analysis methods and techniques? How is this moment of GAI hype and increased accessibility
impacting forms of expertise, authority, and accountability in data work?

While GAI is entering data work for its expediency and utility, it is not always held accountable as a method of
speculation and design even as it shapes the methods and tools through which we develop future scenarios with and
through data analysis. Adopting a design perspective, we will also attend to the people in each case who are the subjects
of data and have a stake in design outcomes of working with large-scale data, accessible for them with GAI.

Participants will obtain concrete skills in designing participatory “scenario-based workshops” utilizing GenAI tools,
including DALL-E and ChatGPT. Furthermore, the course is set up to facilitate discussions and to generate ideas
relating to the participants own PhD projects.

Working hands-on with GAI in a speculative design and research through design approach, will enable participants to
enter into debates over responsible use of AI and other data-driven technologies through concrete application of these
tools. By applying speculative methods to consider future scenarios of organizing and collaborative work students will
problematize and concretize opportunities for designing/using data-driven technologies ethically and responsibly in
their own cases.

Intended Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:
• Knowledge of methods for speculative design
• Knowledge of GenAI tools, limitations and possibilities

Skills:
• Skill 1, application of GenAI tools for research (DALL-E, ChatGPT)
• Skill 2, design of scenario-based workshops with GenAI

Competences:
• Competence 1, Reflect on prompting with GenAI tools for the purpose of speculative design.
• Competence 2, Design participatory scenario workshops with GenAI tools.

Accessibility:
If any participants have any special needs in order to attend the course, they are kindly requested to contact the
organizers and we will try to accommodate such needs.

Preparation
In order to prepare for the course, the course participants need to:

1. Read the literature from the reading list prior to the course (the course curriculum will be distributed after enrollment in the course). Download free version of DALL-E and ChatGPT.
2. Submit their essays before May 15 2024 (2-4 pages) reflecting on the question: “How might combining methods from speculative design and GenAI help you think about your data in new ways?                                                                                             
   

The readings and the essays are a way to reflect upon the topics prior to the course. The essays will also help us to identify participants interests/considerations prior to the course. Furthermore, this preparatory work aims to support their active participation throughout the course.                    

Assessment:
Writing assignment.

To pass the course, you have to:

1. participate in all course days
2. participate in the evaluation of the course
3. submit your final revised essay no later than June 6th 2024

Credits:
3 ECTS pointss

Number of hours the student is expected to use on the course:
Participation and preparation: 82

How to sign up:
Enroll through this webpage: https://phdcourses.ku.dk/detailkursus.aspx?id=111811&sitepath=NAT