Comet has a fix. "If we want fair data, let's just collect 40 more answers on the screen. More data, less bias!"
Wren tilts his head. "What do you notice about where those 40 would come from?"
Comet thinks it over. "The same screen. The same people who already use it."
"Then the same people would still be missing," Wren says.
Nova hovers between them. "Would you like a hint?" she asks. "Look at where the data come from, not only how much there is."
Comet sighs, then grins. "Okay. Where else could bias be hiding?"
Wren opens the crew's very first plan. "Let's check every step, data analyst."
Bias often comes from the type or source of the data collected.
Collecting more data does not remove that bias. Forty more screen answers would come from the same source.
Computing innovations can reflect human biases, through their algorithms or through their data.
Bias can enter at every level of building something, and programmers should act to reduce it.
One kind of bias is a wrong assumption that developers make about their users.
Equity deficits include little exposure to computing, less access to education, and fewer training opportunities.
| Crew step (made-up, from the Commons Count story) | Hidden assumption | Who it could miss |
|---|---|---|
| Put the survey on the front-desk screen | Every member uses the screen | Members who walk past or come when the desk is closed |
| Run the survey for one week | That week is a normal week | Members who were away that week |
| Ask only in writing | Everyone reads the survey easily | Members who need the questions read aloud |
| Collect only while the desk is open | Members visit when the desk is open | Evening and weekend members after hours |
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| Collecting more data always removes bias. | ? |
| Bias can come from the source of the data. | ? |
| Bias can enter at every level of building something. | ? |
| Programmers should act to reduce bias. | ? |
Sharp detective work. Tomorrow in Count Lab you will run the bias audit with real numbers from the story.