H&D Meetup 1: Algorithmic Consensus

H&D Meetup 1: Algorithmic Consensus
Name	H&D Meetup 1 Algorithmic Consensus
Location	Framer Framed
Date	2021/04/17
Time	14:00-17:00
PeopleOrganisations	Hackers & Designers, Angela Jerardi, WINWIN
Type	Meetup
Web	Yes
Print	No

This first H&D meetup of 2021 focussed on tools for decision making. More specifically we looked at consensus as a concrete example, and explore the potentials and limitations of consensus practices for community organization, but also the ups and downs of algorithmic decision making platforms and technical infrastructures that are built upon the consensus model.

Angela Jerardi contributed to the meetup by giving a contextual talk about the roots of consensus, as well as her experience of consensus practices in the context of large activist groups, and the Quaker movement.

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You can watch back the introduction by Anja and Margarita as well as the talk by Angela here: [[1]]

Following Angela's talk, the conversation took an interactive form with a smaller group of people, who represented different self-organized grassroots initiatives. This second part of the meetup was be led by James Bryan Graves and Nienke Huitenga who built a digital consensus platform WINWIN. James and Nienke tried the platform in different contexts to see if consensus models could help to create a less polarized (online) debate culture. By testing this platform in action participants were able engage in a conversation and exchange about consensus – while using a platform that builds upon an consensus algorithm.

We ask participants of our meetups to read the H&D Code of Conduct before attending our events.

Location: Framer Framed, Jitsi and H&D livestream (received upon rsvp)

1st Part: livestreamed from Framer Framed open to larger audience via the H&D livestream

• 14.00 Introduction about the H&D meetup series on tools for self-organization by Margarita and Anja
• 14.15 Histories and practices of consensus by Angela Jerardi (+ Q&A)
• 15.15 Break

2nd Part: online on Jitsi for a smaller group of 10-15 participants

• 15.30 WINWIN workshop by James and Nienke (60 min)
• 16.30 Reflection with Angela, James, Nienke, and the participants of the workshop

The talk by Angela and documentation of the second part of the event will be made available here after the meetup.

To join the meetup via the H&D livestream rsvp via: info@hackersanddesigners.nl If you are interested in joining the second interactive part of the meetup please specify that in your email and add a word or two about your interest in the topic. (participation is limited to 10-15 spots)

The H&D meetups are informal gatherings for anyone with an interest in technical and artistic explorations of open-source tools and infrastructures that are meant to faciliate collaboration. The bi-monthly gatherings will specifically focus on unintentional use of such tools and question them in terms of their durability, accessibility, openness, and creative output. What is technology's partaking in collective organisation? How can we explore/build/hack tools that help small self-organized initiatives in their work?

H&D Meetups are kindly supported by Amsterdam Fund for the Arts and the Creative Industries Fund. Special thanks to Framer Framed for providing us the space, resources and infrastructure.