<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><span style="font-size:16px"><cross-posted></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">A quick reminder: The deadline to submit a proposal for the Strasbourg Symposium on Usability and Design is one week away (2 Dec. 2019)!<br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><span style="font-size:16px"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b><span style="font-size:12pt">Call for Proposals:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b><span style="font-size:12pt">The University of Strasbourg Symposium on Usability and Design -- </span></b><b style="font-size:11pt;text-indent:0.5in"><span style="font-size:12pt">Done in collaboration with Louisiana Tech University</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b style="font-size:11pt;text-indent:0.5in"><span style="font-size:12pt"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b style="font-size:11pt;text-indent:0.5in"><span style="font-size:12pt">Strasbourg, France, 3-4 April 2020</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Symposium Theme: </b><i>Re-thinking Usability and Design: Examining Connections to Technical Communication and Localization</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Proposals Due:</b> <i>Monday, 2 December 2019</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Location: </b>University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Symposium Website:</b> <a href="https://usability-conference.weebly.com/" target="_blank">https://usability-conference.weebly.com/</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Overview of Symposium</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">As technologies evolve and cultures change, the contexts in which individuals access and use information shift in often unexpected ways.  This situation means what constitutes usable designs and what constitutes usability is also in a continual state of change.  Such factors influence – and are influenced by – practices in technical communication and localization, for the three fields (usability, technical communication, and localization) are closely interlinked. For these reasons, we need to continually review, reflect on, and -- if needed -- revise our approaches to these areas.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Objectives of Symposium</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">The focus of the Symposium is “Re-thinking Usability and Design: Examining Connections to Technical Communication and Localization,” and the objective is to bring together researchers in usability, technical communication, and localization in order to</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- Discuss the current state of research in these areas</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- Present the results of recent (i.e., within the last year) research in these areas</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- Collect comments and suggestions on ongoing or future research projects</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- Explore opportunities for research partnerships with colleagues working in these areas </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- Map prospective research trends in these areas</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- Plan trajectories and discuss conference and publication venues for participants’ work</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">By examining such ideas, attendees can devise new frameworks and approaches to re-thinking and addressing current and prospective challenges affecting how we approach usability based on its relationship to technical communication and to localization.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Submitting a Proposal</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Individuals interested in presenting at the Symposium are invited to submit a 250-300 word proposal to give a 15-20 minute talk.   </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Proposals should be between 250-300 words in length and note</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The title of the proposed presentation</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The name and affiliation of the presenter</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The overall topic/focus of the proposed presentation</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The approach the proposed presentation will take to examine this topic</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The connection of the focus and approach to the theme of the Symposium</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The methods attendees can use to apply ideas to usability and user experience design</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Proposals should be submitted as .doc files emailed to <a href="mailto:kirk.stamant@gmail.com" target="_blank">kirk.stamant@gmail.com</a>, and the subject line of the related message should read “Strasbourg Symposium.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Proposals are due on <b><i>2 December 2019</i></b>.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Topics for Presentations</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The methods we should use to conduct research on usability and design</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The theories that should guide our approaches to usability and design</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The contexts we study when doing research on usability and design</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The methods we use to test or apply prior research in usability and design</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The variables we should consider when evaluating aspects of usability <span style="color:windowtext">in different contexts</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The topics we should focus on when researching usability and design</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The ways culture, language, and society affect our understanding of usability and design</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">-- The ways new and emerging technologies are approaches to usability and design</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">as well as other topics connected to the Symposium’s overall theme.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Details on the Symposium</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Registration for the Symposium is <i>free to all presenters and attendees</i>, and additional details on travel and lodging for the Symposium will be posted to an event-related website later this summer.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"><b>Questions on the Symposium  </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">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 <a href="mailto:kirk.stamant@gmail.com" target="_blank">kirk.stamant@gmail.com</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black"></p></div>