Co-constructing sociotechnical AI governance: participatory system mapping using algorithm registers
A research paper on arXiv (cs.AI) examines algorithm registers as transparency tools for public services. It presents a case study of a Dutch city's municipal algorithm register, focusing on a decision-support tool for caseworkers assessing citizens' welfare benefits eligibility based on legal automation through a business rule engine. The study uses interviews, surveys, and participatory system mapping workshops with municipal staff, civil society organisations, and ombudsmen (N=8).
The paper investigates what algorithm registers reveal and occlude about the sociotechnical systems governing algorithmic systems, and how diverse stakeholder perspectives can inform a more pluralistic system-theoretic safety analysis. It probes a Dutch city's algorithm register through a case study of a welfare benefits decision-support tool, using participatory methods to understand stakeholder expectations of transparency and accountability.
The research applies system-theoretic safety analysis and participatory system mapping to algorithm registers, suggesting a shift from algorithm-level transparency to system-level transparency. The case study involves a business rule engine for legal automation, indicating a focus on rule-based systems rather than machine learning models.
Algorithm registers are being adopted by municipalities for public service transparency, but their effectiveness is contested. The study highlights a gap between published register information and the needs of diverse stakeholders, including civil society and ombudsmen, pointing to potential demand for more inclusive governance tools.
For public sector technology vendors and consultancies, this research signals an opportunity to design algorithm registers and governance tools that better meet stakeholder needs, potentially influencing procurement requirements and compliance standards.
Future work may develop pluralistic system-theoretic safety analysis methods that incorporate stakeholder perspectives into algorithm registers. Observable next signals include adoption of participatory mapping in other municipalities, updates to register formats, or policy discussions on system-level transparency.