As a sociologist working in the realm of digital design, I am drawn to digging deeper than mainstream narratives of users and technology. For two decades, my critical interaction design has been all about the value of questioning assumed truths in a constructive manner: building foundations for alternative, inclusive futures while exposing underlying societal questions.
I regularly write about these topics in my Journal and assemble curated sources in my “digital garden” under Resources. I provide an RSS feed and an email newsletter. You can also find me on the Fediverse/Mastodon.
Research for, by, and through design
Whether utilizing suitable research methods to explore problems and solutions, experimenting to discover new ways of doing things, or assembling a prototype to carry out field research – my distinct approach is to combine design and social science methods.
Privacy strategies & legal design
I apply solid experience from working with legal topics and privacy practices to interaction design – making abstract issues comprehensible for laypeople, implementing privacy-friendly solutions, and empowering people to maintain control over their rights.
Inclusive and sustainable concepts
As I work on design concepts, universal usability and a sustainable impact on people, society and planet are considered their core pillars: responsible conduct, “people before code”, and inclusiveness in every aspect.
Educational services and resources
Not teaching specific solutions, but novel ways to approach the problem, I strive to make the sociologist’s critical lens available to technologists, communicators and fellow designers – aiming to broaden perspectives and contribute to societal change.
What I do – extended version
Bringing together social science and design to innovate, consult and educate on human-first digital strategies – inclusive, privacy-protecting, and sustainable
I am a creative explorer, seasoned design practitioner and educator – passionate about the persistently under-represented human side of technology: non-prototypical “users” or contexts of use, inclusion and universal access, the interplay of (legal) norms and technology, privacy and the risks from its violations, and technologies’ impact on society and the environment at large.
My research-based creative practice of two decades is all about innovating at the intersection of sociological method, humane values and digital tinkering. Driven by the desire to develop critically constructive, novel approaches to digital design, I strive for inclusive, data-minimalist and (socially as well as ecologically) sustainable innovation – based on a strictly human-centred approach and considerate of systemic consequences: individually, socially, globally.
As an independent freelance professional, I am available for exploration, consulting and training in projects driven by human values: shaping processes and solutions that put people first, as well as fostering initiatives to increase digital literacy. I enjoy working with organisations keen on pushing boundaries in terms of inclusion, privacy, sustainability, equity, and kindness …approaching things differently than the “tech industry” mainstream.
Mostly providing consultation, research, and concepts, I greatly enjoy coding prototypes as well. However, I am not a “creative technologist”: software is just a means, not the goal of my work. Rather than churning out MVPs, my focus is about developing culture, changing perceptions, and planting seeds for a better tomorrow.
Selected project highlights
- Design lead in an exploratory #legaldesign project promoting alternative dispute resolution (ADR), with the aim to provide easier access to justice for all
- Co-developing a qualitative assessment model to evaluate and advance the state of #a11y in a big corporation’s workflows
- Developing an inclusive design system for an information service aimed at broad audiences including low-literacy demographics with low-end devices
- Assisting an educational NGO to establish their accessible, privacy-respecting and performant website using #kirby
- Consulting various clients on data minimisation strategies for their web presence
- Eight years leading the #usability unit in a training program for communications professionals, developing it with a strong #a11y focus
- Developing a #privacyux approach that considers privacy a core pillar of user experience, presented at multiple conferences
- Co-authoring and facilitating an innovative GDPR workshop series that combined legal compliance, human-centred design, and agency practice
- “The Absent Peer”: award-winning sociological analysis on technology #nonuse and its role in designing for social interaction
- Developing multiple #opensource #petprojects; mostly CMS plugins for the open and accessible web
References and portfolio details are available on request.
