Designing Inclusive Platforms for the Gig Economy

基于平台的数字市场的进入扰乱并改变了劳动力市场。他们通过提供更便宜、更方便的服务成功地吸引了顾客。这是通过算法管理简化商品和服务的获取来实现的。然而，算法管理剥夺了工人的控制权，创造了不稳定的劳动条件，缺乏安全网将风险和不确定性转移到工人身上，严重影响了边缘化社区的工人。此外，这些平台的专有“黑匣子”性质和底层算法使得研究界和政策制定者很难研究和改进这些平台。这项研究计划的目标是开发和原型工具，将解决工人社区的关注。该计划将a）研究算法管理如何影响工人，B）设计信息环境以抵消信息不对称，以及c）设计和部署公平，包容和公平的数字市场平台。该计划将使用来自人机交互（HCI）研究的以公正为导向的设计方法，包括一个迭代设计过程，该过程包含参与式设计方法，并通过设计公正框架关注社区参与和共享所有权。这些方法将在设计工具和平台时纳入工人社区的声音，查明现有的不平等、排斥性做法和无意歧视，并帮助增强边缘化社区成员的权能。该研究计划的总体目标是设计，构建和实施以工作者为中心的开源工具和市场平台，以创造公平和公正的工作环境，并减少潜在的剥削途径。该研究将同时关注加拿大和全球南方背景下的数字市场平台，如印度，并包括以下三个目标：研究目标1.了解算法管理如何塑造工作实践，以及工人如何浏览现有的数字平台研究目标2：实施以人为本的数据驱动的信息环境，以支持现有市场中更好的决策研究目标3：设计和原型新的数字市场平台是公平的，包容的，公平的：该研究将塑造数字平台的设计和使用，并有助于设计与平台工作相关的以工人为中心的工具，并对全球数百万工人的生活产生积极影响。

The entry of platform-based digital marketplaces has disrupted and transformed labour marketplaces. They have been successful in drawing customers by offering cheaper, more convenient services. This has been accomplished by streamlining access to goods and services through algorithmic management. However, algorithmic management takes control away from workers and create precarious labour conditions where the lack of safety nets shift risk and uncertainty onto workers, disproportionally affecting those from marginalized communities. Further, the proprietary 'black-box' nature of these platforms and the underlying algorithms make it hard for the research community and policymakers to study and improve these platforms. The objective of this research program is developing and prototyping tools that will address the concerns of worker communities. The program will a) study how algorithmic management affects workers, b) design information environments to counteract information asymmetry, and c) design and deploy digital marketplace platforms that are fair, inclusive, and equitable. The program will use justice-oriented design methodologies from human-computer interaction (HCI) research consisting of an iterative design process that incorporates participatory design methods and is informed by the Design Justice framework focusing on community participation and shared ownership. These methods will incorporate the voices of worker communities in the design of tools and platforms and identify existing inequalities, exclusionary practices and unintentional discrimination, and help empower marginalized community members. The overarching objective of this research program is designing, building, and implementing open-source worker-centric tools and marketplace platforms that create fair and equitable work environments and decrease potential avenues of exploitation. The research will concurrently look at digital market platforms in Canada and in Global South contexts, such as India, and consist of the following three objectives: Research Objective 1. Develop an understanding of how algorithmic management shapes work practices and how workers navigate existing digital platforms Research Objective 2: Implement human-centred data-driven information environments to support better decision-making in existing marketplaces Research Objective 3: Design and prototype new digital marketplace platforms that are fair, inclusive, and equitable: The research will shape the design and use of digital platforms and contribute to the design of worker-centric tools related to platform work, and positively impact the lives of millions of workers across the world.