Summary of discussion points for the book, "Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy." https://www.meetup.com/Human-Centered-Design-Book-Club/events/251236003/ HCD Meetup group, started by Zeke Franco, discuss topics that surround the design and product fields. The HCD book club hopes to supplement designers, researchers, product-focused roles, and marketers with books and events on topics such as behavioral economics, A.I., hospitality, anthropology, psychology, etc. All these fields study how people behave. Understanding behavior is also a key part of many of our roles. So let's get academic and discuss how learnings from these broader fields could be applied to our work.

1. hCdW E A P O N S O F M A T H D E S T R U C T I O N
How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy
Book Author: Cathy O’Neil
Hosted & Sponsored by Pandera Labs
panderalabs.com

2. ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd 2
s u Mm
a r y

3. sUmMaRy
Let’s refresh our memories of the book
by discussing the high level points the
books makes. I’ve synthesized the book
into four themes. The book covers case
studies for each of these themes to
provide insight into real world harm that
is taking place due to WMDs.
HOW TO SPOT A WMD
PROXIES
BIASES & RACISM
CLASSISM
ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
How to spot a WMD
‣ Opaque
‣ Unfair / Inaccurate
‣ Massively scalable
‣ Stagnant and rigid formulas that
don’t learn
bIg dAtA
fAiLs
WMD = Weapons of Math Destruction.

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Issues with Big Data
‣ Proxies are often weakly leaked to
the behavior they are trying to
predict
‣ Proxies measure a variable that is
believed to represent another
quality; often this variable is
inaccurate or just doesn’t measure
the desired quality
‣ Proxies are often based on the
associations and correlations not on
actual behavior or qualities
pRoXiEs

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Issues with Big Data
‣ Systems that use bad proxies
incentivize people to improve the
proxy, this often comes at the
expensive of the real attribute the
system wants to measure
‣ Proxy systems are often gamed at
the expense of people
pRoXiEs

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Issues with Big Data
In many circumstances
discrimination is built into these
systems, because the models are
built on data sets from human
institutions that have discriminated
against many groups of people.
bIaS &
rAcIsM

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Issues with Big Data
WMDs are disproportionately used
against poor people. While the rich
have the ability to seek out
organizations that don’t utilize
WMDs.
cLaSsIsM

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Ethics & Principles
‣ I will remember that I didn’t make
the world, and it doesn’t satisfy my
equations.
‣ Though I will use models boldly to
estimate value, I will not be overly
impressed by mathematics.
‣ I will never sacrifice reality for
elegance without explaining why I
have done so.
dAtA oAtH
By Emanuel Derman and Paul Wilmott

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Ethics & Principles
‣ I will never sacrifice reality for
elegance without explaining why I
have done so. Nor will I give the
people who use my model false
comfort about its accuracy. Instead, I
will make explicit its assumptions
and oversights.
‣ I understand that my work may have
enormous effects on society and the
economy, many of them beyond my
comprehension.
dAtA oAtH
By Emanuel Derman and Paul Wilmott

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HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd 11
d i Cs
S i o n
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12. ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
07.11.2018
mEeTuP
sUmMaRy

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Notes from our
group discussion
These are the notes I compiled from
the discussion the group had
regarding how UX practitioners can
combat WMD.
This isn’t an exhaustive list of recommendations; just notes.
wHaT cAn
uX dO?
07.11.2018

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Notes from our
group discussion
‣ Collaborate with your data team to
make sure you understand what is
possible with the data in your
organization
‣ Understand how existing algorithms
and data usage affects your users
‣ Advocate for big data transparency
wHaT cAn
uX dO?
07.11.2018

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Notes from our
group discussion
‣ Advocate for alternative processes
for when an algorithm fails
‣ If possible don’t make using an
automated system the only way to
interact with your organization
‣ Measure how well your algorithms
are satisfying you users
‣ Research users who are having
issues.
wHaT cAn
uX dO?
07.11.2018

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Notes from our
group discussion
‣ Work with you data science and/or
engineering team to educate your
stakeholders on what is possible
with big data
‣ Steer stakeholders away from using
bad proxy data
wHaT cAn
uX dO?
07.11.2018

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Notes from our
group discussion
‣ Make sure to have a iterative rollout
plan when implementing new big
data initiatives. Again, measure
accuracy.
‣ Design for big data edge cases
wHaT cAn
uX dO?
07.11.2018

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ZekeFranco
HCDMeetup.comWeaponsofMathDestructionhCd
Notes from our
group discussion
‣ Use task models, scenarios, and
storytelling with real data to show
how big data could go wrong
‣ Utilize user research to make your
case
‣ Co-creating techniques with
stakeholder and users could provide
insights and empathy when
designing systems that use big data
wHaT cAn
uX dO?
07.11.2018

19. nExT mEeTuP
The next next HCD Meetup will be at Fuzzy Math
on August 16th. Learn about the topic and RSVP
at HCDmeetup.com