Talks and
Workshops
Available workshops
Storytelling
Stories are all around us, all the time. Beyond the books we read and the shows we watch, stories show up in the products we use and the places we frequent. There’s a beginning, a middle, an end. There’s drama, there’s conflict, there’s resolution. What happens when we consider who is the hero, who are supporting characters, and who we leave out all together? Approaching product development from a storytelling perspective compels us to start from a place of empathy, proceed with a ruthless editor, and connect with an audience with intention and impact.
In this two-hour workshop, participants will take away a core understanding of storytelling and its practical application in how we build products for people. By using partner and small-group exercises, peppered with mini-lectures, participants will build empathy, get to know their team, and raise their awareness of the stories that surround us.
Rapid remote team-building
In this brief-but-efficient team-building workshop, the team will be led through two reflective and productive exercises. Each is focused on articulating a person’s strengths, as well as how best to work with them.
“Come to me when” asks participants to identify what they’re really good at, what their strengths are. This is useful to articulate within same-role teams (i.e. Content Design, PMs), so they can tap into each other’s strengths as peers.
“Operating instructions” asks participants to identify their own unique workstyles, affects, or even idiosyncrasies. This is useful to articulate and take back to cross-functional teams. It’s functional, fast team-building.
In the end, the team at the workshop will get to know each other better, in an effective, work-focused way. No trust falls, no two-truths-and-a-lie. They’ll also take away a plan to conduct the “Operating Instructions” with their cross-functional team to get to know them and work with them better.
Current talks
“I don’t know where we’re going, but I’ll know when we’re there.”
40 min talk about the ambiguity of a content strategist, and how to define your skills in order to define your career path. Can also be adapted for a design-heavy audience.
“The Risk of Assumption: Learning and Designing for Low Digital Literacy”
20 or 40 min talk about recognizing and narrowing the gap between people who make products and people who use them. Specific tactics on simplifying interactions and innovating without excluding.
“How to fix your family’s tech issues without resorting to murder”
20 min talk about low-tech literacy and how to build products for people wary of the internet (like my mom). Can be extended to a longer talk or workshop.
Appearances include
2023
Content Strategy Insights (podcast)
Podcast guest: “Getting a Job in Content Design and Hiring Content Designers”
2020
Comma-Con (internal Facebook conference)
Mainstage speaker
“I Don’t Know Where We’re Going, but I’ll Know When We’re There.”
Utterly Content Newcastle, UK
Mainstage speaker
“I Don’t Know Where We’re Going, but I’ll Know When We’re There.” (postponed due to COVID)
PixelUp Cape Town, South Africa
“I Don’t Know Where We’re Going, but I’ll Know When We’re There.” (postponed due to COVID)
2019
Confab Minneapolis, MN
Closing keynote
“I Don’t Know Where We’re Going, but I’ll Know When We’re There.”
Design Week San Francisco, CA
Panel Host
“Accessibility in Design”
Global Accessibility Day (internal Facebook conference).
Mainstage speaker
“How to Fix your Family’s Tech Issues Without Resorting to Murder.”
2016
Relate Live San Francisco, CA
Panelist
“All the Feels: Designing Products with Empathy”
Infopresse Montreal, Canada
Mainstage speaker.
“Don’t Take the Detour: Collaborative Content”
Confab Minneapolis, MN
Lightning talk
“Too many Cooks: On Release Notes”
2015
Confab Minneapolis, MN
Mainstage speaker
“Make the String Shorter: Designing Killer Content for Products”
2000
Appeared on CNN’s “Talk Back Live” for Rock the Vote, representing the youth vote
Additional experience includes running many internal design sprints and workshops, teaching Presentation Skills at Google and Twitter.