FAQ - Tech Stewardship

  • What is Tech Stewardship?

    Tech Stewardship is a professional identity, orientation and practice. As tech stewards, we continuously discuss, refine and imagine new ways to shape technology for the benefit of all. The essence of Tech Stewardship practice is about supporting each other to better navigate the tensions we face in our day-to-day work.

  • Who developed the concept and programs?

    Starting in 2015, a coalition of diverse engineers, technologists and creators began meeting around the question: how can we ensure technology is beneficial for all? So far, over 350 leaders from 150 organizations have contribute deeply to shaping tech stewardship as a response, and thousands more have contributed. This program is the next step in that journey, and is being supported by numerous partner schools and organizations. As you engage with this program, we invite you to join the growing community of leaders who are shaping the concept of Tech Stewardship and the shared infrastructure to support our collective practice.

  • Is this just for engineers and technical folks?

    No. The program is open to anyone and is designed to break down silos by creating common language and shared practice. It is for those:

    -> Who focus on the creation and application of technology (e.g. engineers, computer scientists, technologists).

    -> Who focus on scaling and providing access to technology (e.g. entrepreneurs and business people).

    -> Who study the nature of technology and seek to regulate its impacts (e.g. policy makers, social scientists).

    -> Who contribute through fields like architecture and city planning, where training and work already includes a significant amount of technical and social integration.

    -> Who reflect on our past, present and future (e.g. futurists, artists, historians).

    And for anyone else who wants to help play their part in bending the arc of technology towards good!

  • Is this just digital and cutting edge tech?

    No! The program will support anyone involved in the creation and application of physical, digital, biological technology in all stages of development. From traditional tech in well established sectors like mining, to leveraging AI to develop a dating app, all they way to the design of gene editing technologies in healthcare and everything in-between.

FAQ - Tech Stewardship Practice Program (TSPP)

  • What will the program look like / how will it be delivered?

    The TSPP will help you launch your tech stewardship practice. The program has been designed as a light and flexible overlay to existing work and education activities. It consists of a series of "practice cycles," each of which is framed around a simple, yet powerful question. Short videos are use to introduce questions and share sample responses before you are invited to share your own reflection. There is then a short debrief video to cap things on before you go to the next cycle. For those who prefer, there are slides that can act as a substitute or supplement for each video. For those who are interested in going deeper on questions, optional resources and references are provided throughout.

  • How long / how much effort will the program take?

    The program is estimated to require 12hours of effort. Our recommended "ideal" pacing for the entire program is 12 hours over 12 weeks, which allows time for reflection and adsorption of the key concepts. The shortest reasonable time to complete the program is 6 weeks. Although it is possible to go through all of the materials in one long sitting, we strongly suggest spreading out the practice behaviour portion of the program to ensure maximum benefit.

  • When will I have access to the program?

    There are three runnings of the program every year. Registration typically opens roughly one before the program materials become available. If you pre-register before this date, you'll have to wait for the materials to become available. If you register after the materials are released, you will have immediate access:

    -> Winter Program materials become available on January 1st and the program closes on April 30th.

    -> Summer Program materials become available on May 1st and the program closes on August 31st

    -> Fall Program materials become available on September 1st and the program closes on December 31st.

  • What happens if I don't finish in time?

    If you are not able to complete a program before it's closing date, you can simply register for the next version of the program and pick up where you left off. You are allowed to do this one time without having to pay again.

  • How will this program help me get a job / advance my career?

    More and more leaders are looking for Tech Stewardship - whether they use the specific term or not. At the same time, leaders are engaging directly in the growing Tech Stewardship movement; you will have an opportunity to connect with some of them during the program. We also provide strategies to leverage the micro-credential you earn in the program to support continued connections once you're done.

  • How will I be evaluated?

    The program consists of a series of reflective questions that don't have right or wrong answers. Therefore, we won't be evaluating the substance of your responses, rather simply that you've taken the reflection process seriously.