Language is a highly complex and socially constructed phenomenon. We use language and our voices to indicate identity, group membership, emotion, and to create closeness/distance, among other things. Language use and voice can change based on factors such as gender, age, region/location, or disability. This intense personal connection to language means that there are particular ethical and sensitivity considerations to researching natural language for the digital space. Not only do people have very strong opinions about language, they often say the exact opposite of what they do. It can be incredibly difficult to get natural language samples, especially in a research setting. I will teach you how to conduct ethical research around natural language, give guidance on how to get natural language samples, and how to get impactful results from your research by explaining how and when to use quantitative vs. qualitative methods and the considerations for data analysis.

I was invited to give this talk at World IA Day 2019 in Minneapolis, MN! Register with Eventbrite.

We don’t always think of language itself as a usability or accessibility issue, but language is highly complex and socially constructed. Language can draw a user in or make her feel rejected or othered, which will make or break an experience. This talk will center on why language is a content, usability, and accessibility issue, and highlight the consequences of not considering your users/audience when designing/writing content. You will learn how to reflect on your language choices, be more thoughtful with your content, and when/how to use translators.

By the end of this session, you should learn:

• How language standards become standards and what that means when writing for specific audiences

• More about the social and contextual effects of meaning-making and how humans communicate without saying exactly what they mean

• How you can be more inclusive with your writing

• Why you need to test your content with users, especially if you are using translated material

• The benefits of using a human translator and testing your translated content with your target audience and why it matters that you test

I'm partnering with MN Women in Tech to offer this workshop to the public! 

In this workshop, I explain how language becomes part of "common sense," or shared background/cultural knowledge. I illustrate how gender bias is implicitly and explicitly reinforced by language, intentional or not, by providing examples and activities to uncover hidden (or not) biases that even women hold about other women. I include some strategies to become more mindful of those biases as well as strategies for changing them if desired. Finally, I also include some ways to think about how to support and empower fellow women at work when they see subtle or overt sexism happening. 

This is an interactive workshop, so please be prepared to write, think, and share! 

Cost is $29/person, and please bring a laptop if you prefer to type rather than to hand-write! 

RSVP at the Meetup event page! 

NOTE: There is a link to the eventbrite page where you can buy your ticket at the bottom of the Meetup event page! 

I'm partnering with MN Women in Tech to offer this workshop to the public! 

In this workshop, I explain how language becomes part of "common sense," or shared background/cultural knowledge. I illustrate how gender bias is implicitly and explicitly reinforced by language, intentional or not, by providing examples and activities to uncover hidden (or not) biases that even women hold about other women. I include some strategies to become more mindful of those biases as well as strategies for changing them if desired. Finally, I also include some ways to think about how to support and empower fellow women at work when they see subtle or overt sexism happening. 

This is an interactive workshop, so please be prepared to write, think, and share! 

Snacks and beverages will be provided, and the location is being determined... I will update shortly!

The charge for this workshop is $29.00 and is limited to 30 attendees.

RSVP at Minnesota Women in Tech!

Register at Eventbrite! 

Because we experience our careers as the job(s) we are doing now, these conversations engage this career / job duality using story as a navigational tool. Our storytellers will be invited to share their career journies by providing details about the who, what, when, where, why, andhow of particular jobs.

I was invited to share my experience pivoting from an academic career to one in User Experience! Join us! https://zoom.us/j/954763800

https://careerlinguist.com/2017/07/22/campfire-series/

We don’t always think of language itself as a usability or accessibility issue, but language is highly complex and socially constructed. Language can draw a user in or make her feel rejected or othered, which will make or break an experience. This talk will center on why language is a content, usability, and accessibility issue, and highlight the consequences of not considering your users/audience when designing/writing content. You will learn how to reflect on your language choices, be more thoughtful with your content, and when/how to use translators.

By the end of this session, you should learn:

• How language standards become standards and what that means when writing for specific audiences
• More about the social and contextual effects of meaning-making and how humans communicate without saying exactly what they mean
• How you can be more inclusive with your writing
• Why you need to test your content with users, especially if you are using translated material
• The benefits of using a human translator and testing your translated content with your target audience and why it matters that you test

We don’t always think of language itself as a usability or accessibility issue, but language is highly complex and socially constructed. Language can draw a user in or make her feel rejected or othered, which will make or break an experience. This talk will center on why language is a content, usability, and accessibility issue, and highlight the consequences of not considering your users/audience when designing/writing content. You will learn how to reflect on your language choices, be more thoughtful with your content, and when/how to use translators.

By the end of this session, you should learn:

• How language standards become standards and what that means when writing for specific audiences
• More about the social and contextual effects of meaning-making and how humans communicate without saying exactly what they mean
• How you can be more inclusive with your writing
• Why you need to test your content with users, especially if you are using translated material
• The benefits of using a human translator and testing your translated content with your target audience and why it matters that you test

Invited to speak to the Geekettes community about my path to the field of UX, what that looks like on a day-to-day basis, and advice for how to move into UX from varying backgrounds.