NORMalize: A Tutorial on the Normative Design and Evaluation of Information Access Systems

Information access systems, such as Google News or YouTube, increasingly employ algorithms to rank diverse content such as music, recipes, and news articles. Acknowledging the influential role of these algorithms as gatekeepers to online content, the research community is increasingly exploring ‘beyond-accuracy’ metrics. However, deciding what norms and values are relevant and should be prioritized when designing and evaluating information access systems is a challenging task. This tutorial aims to cultivate normative thinking and decision-making in the design and evaluation of information access systems. The tutorial comprises two key components. The first part involves a lecture on the foundational principles of normative thinking, emphasizing the importance of reflecting on the desired state of a system rather than its current state. The second part is an interactive session where participants engage in group discussions, applying normative thinking to a specific use case. Participants analyze the system’s usage, stakeholders, and relevant norms and values and address potential conflicts between stakeholders and/or values. Through a point-allocation exercise, participants represent stakeholders and advocate for specific values, fostering a deeper understanding of normative decision-making in the context of information access systems.