# Objectives October 2023 ## Supporting platform launch Make PRs to platform - in particular working on platform copy and incorporating results of user testing in platform. * Complete copy for platform: ensure every page has good, clear and sensitively expressed information and instructions for using the platform. Include supporting information about AutSPACEs, explanations of the topic of sensory processing and environments, as well as links to further resources and help guides and support for using the platform. Include diagrams and visualisations where appropriate. * Identify and recruit a suitable autistic co-writer to work with on the platform text. Work closely with an autistic co-writer to ensure that the platform text is sensitive to autistic lived experience and the process of writing it follows good participatory methods. * Support the development team via. GitHub and co-working sessions, turning results from user testing into actionable issues and making and reviewing PRs. ## Support accessibility in research * Create a pull request of September user testing sessions which is appropriately anonymised so data is available to team on GitHub in line with FAIR data management practices. * Conduct 6 more user testing sessions with autistic adults to test the platform after the next iteration of changes have been made, following best practice ethical protocols for data management and supporting testers to participate and review their input * Write up usable notes from sessions and upload to GitHub * Pay testers using funds obtained from SSI fellowship ## Supporting community and presenting AutSPACEs Run Meet-up sessions and send newsletters; deliver presentations for NHS England and Autistica, as well as for other opportunities as they arise. * Run 3 (or 6) more meet-up sessions with the community: write the agendas, send invites, and facilitate the meetings * Send out monthly newsletters with updates and opportunities and include a spotlight in each newsletter to showcase members of the AutSPACEs community * Present AutSPACEs 2 (or 4) times in public fora, for instance webinars, public talks or academic conferences to showcase our work and share our learning and values * Point of contact for community members ## Moderation strategy for AutSPACEs Fully complete and implement moderation strategy for AutSPACEs including testing the code of conduct and guidelines for supporting others to share stories * Make sure that code of conduct and supporting guidelines are available on the AutSPACEs platform * Ensure that there are resources for moderators available on the AutSPACEs platform ## Contribute to ethics submission for the next phase of research We are now approaching the research phase of being able to launch the AutSPACEs platform. For this we will need an ethics submission specifically for the platform we have designed in order to use it to collect data. This objective is to support Bastian Greshake Tzovaras and David Saramiento to create an ethics application and supporting resources so that we can release the platform with the approval of the Turing's ethics committee. This includes co-designing the research process and documenting it using open research best practice so that the ethics form can be completed in detail and the methodology can be evidenced. ## Contribute to a paper submissions The moderation approach to AutSPACEs is highly unique and has been co-designed via. an extensive process of thorough community consultation, co-leadership and collective input. This is something which the academic community can benefit from as it is a novel approach which has resulted in unique outputs. This objective is to co-led on the writing of the paper showcasing the AutSPACEs moderation approach so it can benefit other research projects. Publish the paper openly and submit to an open journal. Depending on the progress of the platform deployment & moderation paper, this might also include contributing into a second paper, describing the AutSPACEs platform. ## Turing Way Chapter The Turing Way is a guide to open and ethical research. AutSPACEs uses a participatory, citizen-science, open-source and open research methodology which is highly aligned with the values and strategies the Turing Way advocates for. As part of supporting The Turing Way as well as disseminating the learning and findings from AutSPACEs, this objective is to collaborate with the AutSPACEs community and Turing Way team to publish a chapter on participatory research and citizen science in The Turing Way. ## Help shape future plans for AutSPACEs AutSPACEs has been designed specifically to be easy to adapt for other projects. In advance of the launch, an objective will be to support in identifying and developing future applications of the AutSPACEs platform so that there is potential for impact beyond the original reseasrch theme. This objective is to support developing a research bid to adapt the platform and use learning from the participatory approaches of AutSPACEs to expand work on the phenomenology of AutSPACEs with a team of researchers and autistic advisors. ## Personal development A number of development opportunities are available to support the development of expertise in research ethics and responsible tech design. This includes courses provided by The Turing and external mentorship opportunities: https://www.turing.ac.uk/courses/fairness-and-responsibility-human-ai-interaction-medical-settings https://www.turing.ac.uk/courses/assessing-and-mitigating-bias-and-discrimination-ai https://alltechishuman.org/responsible-tech-mentorship-program. Fulfilling the objectives above will also support my growth in academic skills including paper-writing and project management.