Providing procedural transparency.

Designers should offer procedural transparency in algorithmic interfaces to maintain user trust when expectations are violated.

About this paper

The author investigates how varying levels of transparency in algorithmic interfaces impact user trust in the context of peer assessment.

The study finds that a balanced approach to transparency is crucial, as too much or too little information can affect trust negatively or positively depending on whether users' expectations are met or violated.

Here are some methods used in this study:

Online Field Experiment ANOVA Analysis

Which part of the paper did the design guideline come from?

“Figure 1 shows the average trust index for participants who either received a grade that matched their expectations or one that violated expectations. A 2 (expectations violated vs. not violated) by 3 (transparency: low, medium, high) ANOVA was conducted to test the first two hypotheses. Consistent with H1, trust was lower when the received grade was worse than expected (F 1,97 = 13.4, p < 0.001, η 2 p = 0.12). Moreover, as hypothesized in H2, this gap (...)” (‘Results’ section)

Kizilcec, R. F. (2016). How Much Information? Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

Inspiration and scope

In this paper, the authors focused on the traits of engineers and designers in designing procedural transparency for online peer assessment systems.

You are designing for shoppers who care about sustainability, via a daycare product ingredient analyzer. Your design and the paper's contexts differ; the paper targets professionals with deep understanding, while your design needs to be friendly and accessible for general shoppers. At the same time, both require clear and effective communication. The paper conveys complex technical concepts transparently, whereas your product must present ingredient and sustainability information understandably, fostering trust.

Also, they differ in that the paper's design aims to impact online peer assessments functionality, while your design influences consumer behavior broadly, promoting sustainable shopping. At the same time, both require ethical considerations. The paper ensures fairness and transparency in assessments, while your product must provide truthful sustainability details to guide ethical consumer choices.

Leveraging these similarities, consider designing a daycare product ingredient analyzer with adaptive transparency. Thus, providing clear and detailed sustainability information will build trust and manage expectations, promoting ethical decisions and sustainable shopping.

Your input

  • What: a daycare product ingredient analyzer
  • Who: shoppers who cares about sustainability
  • Design stage: Ideation

Design ideas

Consider the following components for your design:

1

Integrate expandable sections for each ingredient showing detailed sustainability metrics.

2

Implement a 'sustainability score' for each product that summarizes its overall environmental impact.

3

Highlight certification icons and align product attributes with widely recognized ethical and environmental standards.

Methods for you

Consider the following method(s) used in this paper for your design work:

Information Processing Theory

Using Information Processing Theory can help in generating creative ideas for presenting sustainability data transparently. Designers should ensure the information provided is neither too dense nor too sparse to maintain user trust.

Procedural Justice Theory

Applying Procedural Justice Theory can generate ideas to inform users about how an analyzer ensures fairness and accuracy in assessing the sustainability of daycare products. Transparency about procedures should be balanced to avoid overwhelming users.