Much of the study of ethics might seem like forming strategies to avoid ethical lapses; in other words, focusing on what not to do. But IT professionals can do so much more with their time and talent, by actively trying to solve social problems applying skills, technology, and imagination to complex issues. One common critique of the software industry is that it monopolizes capital and talent for superficial purposes, while providing little or no benefit to society at large.
• For context, read the article "Computing For Good", Stony Brook Magazine, Winter 2018, Vol. 3
https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~tony/c4g/showcase/C4G_SBU/C4G_SBU_Magazine.pdf
Links to other Computing for Good initiatives
The purpose of the midterm is to do the research that will provide a foundation for the final project, which is a protoytype application that adresses a social need. Midterm Part 1 and Final Part 2 comprise a term project which is an exercise in user-centered design. Students may work alone or choose a partner to work on the midterm and final, but they will have to keep that partner for both parts of the term project, and they will share the same scores. The partners will have to decide between them who will submit the co-authored reports through Brightspace. The 10 steps listed below are the research phase of the project, broken into 2 groups:
1) Identify a disadvantaged population
Physical or mental disability
Economic hardship
Alienation
• Example - "Virtual Visit: A Web-based Assistive Interface for Touring Cultural Spaces Remotely" Tech Report
https://tr.cs.stonybrook.edu/sites/tr.cs.stonybrook.edu/files/tr/Virtual%20Visit%20Tech%20Report.pdf
2) Postulate a problem statement
What are the constraints that prevent your population from opportunities to lead increasingly fulfilling lives?
How can IT help to remove those impediments?
• Read Heilmeier's Catechism to inform your thinking about these topics https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/heilmeier-catechism
3) Identify a campus club, agency, or office; or a local nonprofit that serves that population
• Example - "Pet Project", Stony Brook University News
https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~tony/c4g/showcase/Shelterware/Shelterware%20SBU%20feature.pdf
• Example - "Remembering 9/11 – Accessing Oral Histories for Educational and Research Purposes" Tech Report
https://tr.cs.stonybrook.edu/sites/tr.cs.stonybrook.edu/files/tr/9-11%20Oral%20history%20Project_0.pdf
List of campus clubs and agencies involved in community service
4) Identify the stakeholders
Admins
Staff
Volunteers
End-users
5) Provide demographic data on stakeholders
Age range
Occupation
Socioeconomic status
Education/literacy level
Infrastructure access (technology, transportation, etc)
Provide references (for steps 1 - 5)
SBU club, agency, office, or local nonprofit’s web site
Sources for demographic data about stakeholders, especially the designated end-user
(You may use whatever citation format you prefer, be it MLA, APA, etc.)
5 tasks ~ 2 points each, for 10 points total
6) Propose a solution to the problem statement
How efficiently and effectively does the solution enable the stakeholders to address the problem?
7) Define the use case(s)
Where and how will the application be used?
Work, school, home, social...
8) Do a technology assessment
Relevant platforms
Software development tools
Hardware requirements
9) Task Analysis
Development, testing, and implementation process
Maintainence plan
Milestones
10) Summarize your research in a Vision Statement
https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~tony/itethics/instructions/vision.html
5 tasks ~ 2 points each, for 10 points total
Think of each task as a paragraph of your report. So, tasks 1 - 5 would be the equivalent of 500 - 1000 words (1 - 2 pages), and the same for tasks 6 - 10. Each group of tasks (1 - 5, and 6 - 10) will be submitted separately. The formatting of the reports is single space, 12 point text, Times New Roman font, 3/4 inch margins. You will submit the reports through Brightspace's TurnItIn. As a standard we use MS Word or PDF files. The reports should have a title page that includes the name(s) of the author(s). As an example:
CSE/ISE 312 Spring 2023
Midterm Tasks 1 - 5
"An Online Inventory Management System for the Red Hot Career Closet"
By John Q. Public and Mary B. Student