The VSCA framework was born out of a Ph.D. project at Imperial College London. Originally, the work was about making conversational AI more human-centred. As the project went on, one idea that kept coming up repeatedly was whether the project’s outcomes would make conrete and measurable ‘real-world’ impact. With the goal of avoiding being just another thesis put on a shelf, the VSCA Framework was born to bridge the gap between research and practice.

It is based on years of research and grounded in scientific theories and findings, but it is also the result of inputs from countless conversational AI professionals who shared their experiences, struggles, and dreams.

Malak created the VSCA Framework and toolkit throught her work as a doctoral researcher at the Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial College London.

With a background in Computer Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction, and User-Centred Design, she experienced first-hand the divide between technical and social aspects of technology and especially AI systems.

Working to bridge these socio-technical divides, her work centres around inspiring technical professionals to consider broader social and ethical aspects, and helping to bring diverse and interdisciplinary voices into AI design proceses.

Learn more about her work >