Atlassian introduces free resource to foster responsible tech innovation

Atlassian Corporation has launched its Responsible Technology Review Template to support companies in building responsible AI and technology practices. The easy-to-use guide encourages teams to foster a shared understanding of how their projects affect employees, customers, and community stakeholders.  

Based on Atlassian's Responsible Technology Principles, the comprehensive resource will aid teams in identifying gaps where projects don’t align with responsible AI/tech principles or company values, giving them the opportunity to make improvements or fixes before products are shipped. It can also be used to assess technology being built or purchased for internal use, too.  

Each section of the template focuses on a different guiding principle alongside specific questions that prompt users to rate how well the project aligns with these principles. These are: 

Principle 1: Empower all humans: Technologies should be open, inclusive, fair, and just to reflect the fundamental rights we all share.  

Principle 2: Unleash potential (not inequity): If we use technologies responsibly and intentionally, we can contribute to better outcomes across our communities.  

Principle 3: Build for trust: Trust isn't just about ensuring the security and privacy of technology products, but is also earned and kept by demonstrating a commitment to reliability and performance.  

Principle 4: Open communication, no bullshit: With new technologies like AI, just telling users that a feature is AI-powered doesn’t mean much unless the user also understands what it means when the feature is in use, how to best interact with it, and how to respond to (and if needed, question) its outputs.  

Principle 5: Accountability is a team sport: Any tech is part of a larger ecosystem. It’s important to take user feedback seriously and to encourage other technology makers to adopt these practices, too.  

Erika Fisher, Chief Administrative Officer & Chief Legal Officer, Atlassian said, “At Atlassian, we know that we have a responsibility to develop and deploy technology responsibly. We also know that experimentation is critical to progress. Neither are mutually exclusive, so we are committed to supporting innovation within safe environments.  

“As we continue to reinforce and invest in that commitment, we hope we can bring others along with us by sharing our insights and learnings. With this template we wanted to present an alternative to the dense and resource-intensive guidance currently available by sharing a method that is equal parts aspirational and accessible to drive critical conversations and risk assessment”, she added.  

Atlassian has a cross-functional Responsible Tech Working Group with representatives across Engineering, Ethics, Human Rights, Sustainability, Privacy, Public Policy, Legal, and DEI teams. Alongside the launch of its Atlassian Intelligence capabilities earlier this year, the company published its Responsible Tech Principles that serve as the company’s North Star in how it builds and deploys new technologies safely and ethically.