C19: Enabling Responsible Computing Practices and Ethical Mindsets in Teams and Organizations

Abstract

Advances in high performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) have reignited a need for more responsible and ethical computing in the design and development of applications for pervasive sociotechnical systems operating within the context of existing and evolving societal norms and cultures. Given the likelihood that future technological innovation will have intended, as well as unintended, impacts on societies, we believe the development of ethical mindsets is essential.

However, requirements or guidelines such as the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act) [1] and NIST AI Risk Management Framework [2] often overwhelm development teams. As such, many lack basic knowledge to adopt responsible computing as a practice. In our own efforts to implement responsible computing, we focus on developing ethical mindsets in our teams. We address complexity by applying a scalable approach to thinking and reflecting about systems as well as internal and external drivers to productivity and process improvement [3]. We use lightweight techniques such as progress tracking cards (PTCs) to introduce ethical mindsets in project teams committed to responsible computing practices that go beyond compliance [4].

This hands-on, interactive course introduces lightweight methods for tracking progress on goals and objectives when adopting ethical mindsets for the implementation of AI [4], reviewing the Euro AI compliance requirements as well as NIST AI Risk Management Frameworks, meeting responsible computing software development goals, and documenting progress toward the application of ethical compliance. Having mental frameworks to think about how AI advances impact ethical considerations will help individuals, teams, and organizations consider cultural tradespaces as models and technologies evolve.

Course participants will engage in small and large-group discussions, addressing selected case studies, scenarios, or situations. Through facilitated practice and collaboration, participants develop initial skills to address their unique needs while simultaneously offering a broader perspective through exploration of diverse examples.

Course Content

Objective: The objective of this course is to apply a scalable approach to thinking and reflecting about systems by using lightweight techniques such as progress tracking cards (PTCs) to introduce ethical mindsets in project teams committed to responsible computing practices that go beyond compliance [4]. Participants are encouraged to bring their own scenarios or work through the examples provided by the facilitators from research, practice, and industry. A foundational idea throughout the course will be understanding the ethical concerns and implications of both the act and things not directly regulated by the act to help people behave more in the spirit of the rules in addition to the strict letter of the rules.

The course will meet the following learning objectives:

• Hone ethical mindsets in design or software teams toward shaping the future of responsible computing
• Understand ethical challenges in software development: discover how to integrate social and ethical considerations into your development processes
• Define unconscious bias: learn how personal values can impact your approach to and ethics
• Understand the application of diverse AI risk assessment frameworks, EU AI Act standards, and guidelines as a minimum standard for ethical AI use
• Create Progress Tracking Cards (PTC): Implement a practical tool to track ethical considerations throughout your project
• Apply approach to real-world applications: explore how honing an ethical mindset can benefit your teams and sponsors
• Empower teams and individuals: gain insights into building a culture of ethical awareness and accountability

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Ethical Mindsets in Teams and Organizations
   1. Role of Mindset
   2. Ethics Foundation
   3. NIST AI Risk Management Framework
   4. EU AI Act Overview
   5. Use Case and Discussion
2. Progress Tracking Cards (PTC) Overview
   1. Use of PTCs in Teams and Across Organizations
   2. Evolving mindset through the application of PTCs
   3. Use Case: Application of PTCs to EU AI Act compliance
   4. Integrating PTCs in GitHub, Jira, and Project Management Tools
3. Adopting Ethical Mindsets in Teams and Organizations by applying Progress Tracking Cards (PTCs) to Projects
   1. Hands-on Development of PTCs
      1. Small groups: Attendees develop initial progress tracking cards for their scenario or examples provided by facilitators
   2. Identifying Impact Metrics Based on PTCs
      1. Small groups: Discussion of developed examples, how the attendees applied the lightweight PTC approach to their scenarios, challenges/benefits to the approach
   3. Communicating Team and Organization Ethical Mindsets with Others
      1. Large groups: discussion of ideas for improvement and adoption in one’s team or organization
4. Course Conclusion
   1. Review Course Learning Objectives
   2. Questions and Answers
   3. Course Evaluation

Relevant Course links:

SC23: The Ethics of Supercomputing. HPCWire, November 29, 2023.

Shaping the Ethical Future of HPC and AI. (April 8, 2025). SC24 (The International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage, and Analysis).

References:

[1] https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/

[2] NIST (2023). Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0). https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.AI.100-1

[3] Elaine Raybourn, Elsa Gonsiorowski, Reed Milewicz, David Rogers, Ben Sims, Greg Watson, James Willenbring, (2021). Hands-on Tutorial with PSIP Progress Tracking Cards: A Lightweight Method for Improving Software Practices https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1863524

[4] Elaine M. Raybourn and Killian Muollo. 2023. Guidelines for Practicing Responsible Innovation in HPC: A Sociotechnical Approach. In Distributed, Ambient and Pervasive Interactions: 11th International Conference, DAPI 2023, Held as Part of the 25th HCI International Conference, HCII 2023, Copenhagen, Denmark, July 23–28, 2023, Proceedings, Part I. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, 105–118. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34668-2_8 and https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/2431844