The Black Box describes how the social production of science and technology are hidden from view. When addressing the ways in which algorithms promote platformed abuse or produce racist outcomes, a common narrative in tech is to “black box” the issue. This project aims to deconstruct the concept of the “black box” and open the coded inequities in algorithmic systems. Using a long scroll format webpage as a visual guide for understanding how structural racism becomes codified within technologies, the audience is invited to participate in crafting a physical black box in the form of an origami cube, while following the information provided in the webpage. The goal is to deconstruct the ideological perceptions of technology in design while encouraging the participant to engage with the construction or crafting of a physical object. This allows for opening up the viewer to think creatively which is an important takeaway when understanding how to develop solutions to the issues presented in the materials. The final project merges elements of craft and digital design, and takes the concepts of sequencing and modularity to visualize the deconstructed elements of race, design, and technology. The purpose of this experience is for designers and tech users to know about the ways in which racism and technology intersect. Particularly when tech companies call on designers to develop solutions for these issues of inequality and discrimination online, it is valuable for designers to understand the implications of the platforms and systems they are helping to produce.
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