Supporting Industry Computing Researchers in Assessing, Articulating, and Addressing the Potential Negative Societal Impact of Their Work

TL;DR

This paper explores how industry computing researchers assess and address societal impacts of their work, developing a tailored impact assessment template through empirical research and co-design, aiming to foster responsible research practices.

Contribution

It provides an empirically-informed impact assessment template and design considerations specifically tailored for industry computing researchers, addressing a gap in responsible computing tools.

Findings

Identified four key factors influencing impact assessment practices.

Developed a Societal Impact Assessment template with concrete scaffolds.

User study revealed strengths and limitations of the template.

Abstract

Recent years have witnessed increasing calls for computing researchers to grapple with the societal impacts of their work. Tools such as impact assessments have gained prominence as a method to uncover potential impacts, and a number of publication venues now encourage authors to include an impact statement in their submissions. Despite this push, little is known about the way researchers assess, articulate, and address the potential negative societal impact of their work -- especially in industry settings, where research outcomes are often quickly integrated into products. In addition, while there are nascent efforts to support researchers in this task, there remains a dearth of empirically-informed tools and processes. Through interviews with 25 industry computing researchers across different companies and research areas, we first identify four key factors that influence how they grapple with (or choose not to grapple with) the societal impact of their research. To develop an effective impact assessment template tailored to industry computing researchers' needs, we conduct an iterative co-design process with these 25 industry researchers and an additional 16 researchers and practitioners with prior experience and expertise in reviewing and developing impact assessments or broad responsible computing practices. Through the co-design process, we develop 10 design considerations to facilitate the effective design, development, and adaptation of an impact assessment template for use in industry research settings and beyond, as well as our own ``Societal Impact Assessment'' template with concrete scaffolds. We explore the effectiveness of this template through a user study with 15 industry research interns, revealing both its strengths and limitations. Finally, we discuss the implications for future researchers and organizations seeking to foster more responsible research practices.