What a challengeable decision record holds
At least the reason code, the source of the evidence, the owner, the deadline, and who can reverse the decision.
What is AI contestability?
AI contestability is the ability to challenge an AI or other automated decision and get a review by someone with the authority to change it.
Contestability is the design and law literature's name for a property: the person an automated decision is about can challenge it, and the challenge can change it. This site calls that right standing, and the act a challenge. It needs notice that a decision was made, a clear route to challenge it, and a reviewer with the authority to change the outcome.
Each step leaves a receipt, runs to a deadline, and ends in a recorded outcome.
Upheld challenges also have to reach the rule. If each upheld challenge only reverses its own case, the system is contestable in name only.
A hypothetical case. An eligibility denial includes an appeal button. A person reviews the appeal within 72 hours, and each step issues a receipt.
In the glossary: Contestability.
From the contestability standard, STD-02
The challenge route: from model failure to a changed decision
A route to challenge is not a complaint box. It is a procedure that binds exposure to enforceable state changes.
In practice
What to look for
A reviewer who can reverse
An appeal link with no one behind it who can reverse the outcome is review for show. Name who can reverse, and publish the deadline.
Reversals counted by rule
Report the reversal rate for each decision type and rule, the median time to remedy, and the share of challenges with complete receipts. Send each rule's count to its owner.
Where the standards use it:
- STD-02 — Contestability and recourse. Design the flow from the standard’s five rights: notice and reasons, an appeal path, a review clock, remedy, and evidence.
- STD-02 evidence pack. Collect the receipts, timelines, and remedy evidence for each challenge.
What is the minimum a route to challenge a decision needs?
Six parts: standing to challenge, the reasons for the decision, a record of it, a deadline, a remedy, and protection from retaliation for challenging.
Is a high reversal rate a good sign?
It shows challenges can win. It is also evidence that the rule is wrong: a rule with many upheld challenges goes back to its owner.