Designing for Contestation: Insights from Administrative Law

TL;DR

This paper explores how principles from administrative law can inform the design of contestation mechanisms in algorithmic decision-making to enhance accountability and user ability to challenge decisions.

Contribution

It introduces a framework for integrating administrative law insights into algorithmic contestation system design, addressing current limitations.

Findings

Administrative law principles can improve contestation system design.

Design guidelines enhance user ability to challenge algorithmic decisions.

Framework supports accountability in automated decision-making.

Abstract

A paper presented at the Workshop on Contestability in Algorithmic Systems at CSCW 2019. Challenging algorithmic decisions is important to decision subjects, yet numerous factors can limit a person's ability to contest such decisions. We propose that administrative law systems, which were created to ensure that governments are kept accountable for their actions and decision making in relation to individuals, can provide guidance on how to design contestation systems for algorithmic decision-making.