Decision Tree for Ethical Humanitarian Data Science

Welcome to DSEG’s Decision Tree for Ethical Humanitarian Data Science.

This tool will guide users through the lifecycle of a humanitarian data science project, from ideation, through communicating and relying on outputs of a data science tool. In each stage, ethical issues are raised, are tips/guidance are provided to overcome them.

The Decision Tree is an online interactive tool, based upon DSEG’s Ethical Framework. It considers and integrates Humanitarian Principles, Data Responsibility, AI Ethics, Risk Mitigation & Human Rights required for every user.

It then takes a programme team through the critical steps of a data science journey, these being:

· Problem Recognition

· Data Science Suitability

· Data Check

· Algorithm Check

· Outputs Check

The Decision Tree is designed for multiple users such as data scientists, programme managers, and field staff. It can be used by humanitarian organisations, tech companies, and academics institutions. Further, it can be used before initiating a project, during a project, and retrospectively.

While the decision tree can be used by individuals, there is also benefit to undertaking it collaboratively with your project team. This way you can see which team members have knowledge on which topics, and if there are any gaps which need to be filled.

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