REMOTE: Building accessibility into the engagement and recruitment process

Join us for a remote lunch and learn!

In the UX and Research community, when we think of product or service design, we often consider accessibility best practices from the standpoint of the deliverable. This is important, but is it enough? Do we need to step back and examine the process of engaging with people to understand their experiences and needs?

The upcoming panel discussion will support us in considering accessibility from the perspective of engagement. How do we engage people so that the engagement process is accessible, particularly when working with people who have been historically excluded or who face systemic barriers, including but not limited to people who are differently-abled?

Diana McGlinchey

Diana McGlinchey holds a Master of Science in Victimology from the University of Portsmouth. She is the Principal Investigator of the Victimology Research Centre at Algonquin College, where she works in partnership with non-profit organizations and local, provincial, and federal government stakeholders to undertake applied research projects that center the voices of people with lived experience of violence, trauma, and resilience. Past projects include the experiences of male and female survivors of intimate partner violence; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the homelessness sector in Ottawa; and an analysis of homicide cases in the Ottawa region between 2010 and 2020. Current research projects include concussion recovery in female survivors of intimate partner violence, and vicarious resilience in people who work and volunteer with victims and survivors of violence in Canada. Diana also teaches in the Victimology graduate certificate program and the Police Foundations diploma program at Algonquin College.

Jennifer M. Gilbert

Jennifer M. Gilbert is the Associate Director of the Centre for Initiatives in Education (CIE) at Carleton University, and has been working in the Enriched Support Program for 20 years. Jennifer is an experienced University Instructor in Rhetoric/Writing Studies and in Arts-Based Teaching and Learning; and an experienced Program Coordinator specializing in mentoring and coaching support for post-secondary students.

Cat Boucher

Cat Boucher recently transitioned from academia, where she researched audiovisual processing in hearing loss, to a usability engineering role in medical R&D for hearing devices. Currently specializing in user-centered design within the realm of hearing devices, her work at Sonova involves several key aspects. She conducts user research studies to assess usability risks, actively recruits participants with hearing loss, and reviews medical risk assessments for usability considerations. Additionally, she ensures seamless alignment with user interaction standards. Her work extends further to implementing inclusive and rigorous research practices, leveraging quantitative insights, and mentoring researchers to foster a culture of accessibility and inclusivity in medical usability research.

Our Sponsors

We are extremely grateful to these organizations for their generous support of CapCHI and the local UX community.

Carleton University
https://carleton.ca/hci
The Master of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) degree offers students an opportunity to explore their native discipline in more depth while also gaining insight into the language and constraints under which specialists in other disciplines in the HCI field work.

DFFRNT
https://dffrnt.ca
We’re an exceptional team of highly experienced behavioural researchers and design strategists. We apply a fundamental understanding of human behaviour, strategic design and human-computer interaction to deliver product and service design value.

Human-Centred Design Lab
https://www.human-centred.ca
An interdisciplinary postgraduate program and research lab focused on evidence-based design strategy. We work with businesses, governments and not-for-profit organizations to provide students an industry-focused learning experience.

Jumping Elephants
https://www.jumpingelephants.ca
A full-service, consulting group based in Ottawa and specializing in user-centred solutions design and business process management for the public and private sector.