Call for Participation/Proposals:
The University of Strasbourg Symposium on Usability and Design
(Done in collaboration with Louisiana Tech University)
24-25 April 2025 in Strasbourg, France
Symposium Theme: Addressing Access and Accessibility Through Usability and Design: Ideas and Approaches for Web Communication, Technical Communication and Localization
Proposals Due: Monday, 6 January 2025
Location: University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
Symposium Website: https://usability-conference.unistra.fr/
Overview of Symposium
As technologies and cultures change, the contexts in which individuals access and use information continually shift in new and often unexpected ways. Accordingly, what constitutes both usable designs and usability is also in a matter of access and accessibility. Such factors also shape usability practices in the interconnected files of technical communication and localization. We therefore need to continually review, reflect on, and – if needed – revise our approaches to understanding usability, technical communication, and localization to effectively address access and accessibility. Such processes should include regular examinations of how each field influences and is influenced by the others in relation to addressing access and accessibility in local, regional, and global contexts.
Objectives of Symposium
The focus of the Symposium is “Addressing Access and Accessibility Through Usability and Design: Ideas and Approaches for Web Communication, Technical Communication and Localization,” and the objective is to bring together individuals working in these fields in order to
— Discuss the current state of research in these areas as it relates to facilitating access to information and addressing accessibility issues related to different groups of users
— Present the results of recent research in these areas and how such results connect to or can address factors of access and accessibility
— Collect comments and suggestions on ongoing or future projects related to addressing aspects of access and accessibility in different contexts
— Explore prospective trends in these areas as related to aspects of access and accessibility
— Plan future projects and collaborations based upon how to combine usability, technical communication, and localization practices to address aspects of access and accessibility
By examining such ideas, attendees can devise new frameworks for and approaches to re-thinking and addressing current and prospective challenges related to access and accessibility in different contexts.
Submitting a Proposal
Individuals interested in delivering an individual (1-person) or joint (2-person) presentation at the Symposium are invited to submit a 250-300 word proposal to give a 15-20 minute talk relating to the Symposium’s theme and related objectives.
Proposals for both individual and joint presentations should include
— The title of the proposed presentation
— The name(s) and affiliation(s) of the presenter(s)
— The overall topic/focus of the proposed presentation
— The approach the proposed presentation will take to examine this topic
— The connection of the proposed presentation’s focus to the theme of the Symposium
— The strategies attendees can use to apply ideas from the proposed presentation to research, teaching, or other (e.g., product development) practices
Proposals should be submitted as .doc files emailed to kirk.stamant@gmail.com, and the subject line of the related message should read “Strasbourg Symposium.”
Proposals are due on Monday, 6 January 2025
Topics for Presentations
The Symposium is open to a number of areas relating to usability as it relates to technical communication and localization, and topics to consider include
— Methods for conducting usability and design research to address access and accessibility
— Theories to guide usability and design approaches to address access and accessibility
— Contexts to study when doing usability and design research on access and accessibility
— Approaches to test or apply usability and design research to address access and accessibility
— Variables to consider when evaluating usability as related to access and accessibility
— Topics to examine when researching usability and design related to access and accessibility
— Ways culture, language, and society affect usability and design per access and accessibility
— Effects of new and emerging technologies as related to usability, access, and accessibility
Details on the Symposium
Registration for the Symposium is free to all presenters and attendees, and additional details on travel and lodging for the Symposium will be posted to an event-related website later this autumn.
Questions on the Symposium
Should individuals have questions on or wish to discuss any aspects of the Symposium (or on prospective topics for a presentation), feel free to email the Symposium chair, Kirk St.Amant, at kirk.stamant@gmail.com