KV5046 - Human-Centered AI

Students will learn through lectures, workshops, and independent learning. Lectures will cover key principles, theories and topics in HCAI, and in practical classes (workshops) students will practice hands-on skills for user-centred design, prototyping and evaluation of AI systems. Building on lectures and workshops, though independent learning, students will complete an annotated portfolio demonstrating a range of user-centred design skills and desk-based research.

To expand your capacity and confidence as an effective learner, you will be encouraged to develop independent learning skills. This will be supported by tutor-guided activities, including prompted reading, activities to undertake and questions to address. Independent study requirements also entail reading beyond the learning materials/reading list provided, reflecting on its potential relevance for your own development.

You will be supported by lecturers during the timetabled sessions when you will receive feedback on your work. You will also be able to communicate with the teaching team via email. The University’s eLearning Portal offers remote access to all lecture and seminar materials to reinforce your learning. In addition, the University Library offers support for all students through the provision of digital reading lists.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:

ML01 – Demonstrate understanding of human-centred design principles, approaches, and techniques.

ML02 – Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of ethical, social, legal and environmental implications of AI systems, and how to minimise adverse impacts.

ML03 – Recognise and understand the importance of the human factors in the design of interactive AI systems.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
ML04 – Design, develop and critically assess Human-Centered AI technologies.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

ML05 – Demonstrate critical engagement with contemporary Human-AI Interaction research (e.g., recent research papers on HCI, AI and Big Data)

There will be two summative assessments in this module.

The first summative assessment will be a group presentation and demonstration of a HCAI Prototype (10min) where you will use the knowledge and practical skills you have developed through the module and your field of specialization to work in small groups to design and prototype an interactive Human-Centered AI system. It is worth 30% of your mark for this module. [MLO1, 2, 4]

If the assessment is completed by groups of more than one student, a rigorous assessment mechanism is used to ensure fair distribution of marks based on students’ individual contributions to the project. This peer assessment includes a group mark component and an individual contribution component, each influencing 50% of the mark. The individual contribution is divided into two equally weighted parts: evidence of your personal contribution to the prototype during the group presentation, and an average peer score marked by other members of your group.

The second, summative assessment will be a research-based Reflective Report (2000 words) where you will use the knowledge and skills you have learned throughout the module and conduct desk research on a contemporary HCAI topic and evaluate the impacts of AI systems. It is worth 70% of your mark for this module. [MLO2, 3, 5]

You will receive critical constructive feedback on your assessments.

During workshops there will be formative workshop exercises and class discussions for which you will also receive formative feedback.

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Intelligent Systems and AI-driven technologies are radically transforming our society and there is a need for this technology shift to embrace more human-centered perspectives to ensure that we shape those future technologies to better serve human values and needs. Human-Centered AI approaches seek to synthesize machine intelligences with human-centered thinking to conceptualise and design intelligent systems that empower people and society. This module will introduce you to Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HCAI), where we will explore human-centered design principles and methods to envision the next generation of AI systems.
This module focuses on human-factors in the design of AI systems, and the interactions between Humans and AI.

In this module you will specifically explore how to design, develop, critique interactive AI technologies from a human-centred perspective. Indicative topics include: User-centred design (UCD); Human-AI Interaction; AI biases and fairness, transparency and interpretability; design guidelines and methods for prototyping Human-AI systems.