Charles Hannon


User experience and interaction design, technology and culture, American literature and history.

Avoiding Bias in Voice User Interfaces

We need to think more intentionally about how our digital assistants represent the world around us.

A collection of my recent talks and essays on this topic.

Good as Old Again

Repairing old houses often means keeping them old-looking.

Big Box stores are good for new construction. Old houses? Not so much.

"Alexa, Tell Me About Eric Garner"

The language that we give our robots will also reflect human biases.

How much do you trust the information Alexa tells you?

Senior Projects 2018 | Computing and Information Studies

This year's projects range from GIS-based bus tracking, to community development, to small office I.T. upgrades.

Report from the classroom.

Sabbatical | sab·bat·i·cal | /səˈbadək(ə)l/

"A period of paid leave granted to a university teacher or other worker for study or travel, traditionally one year for every seven years worked."

One of the lesser understood aspects of academic work.

"It wasn’t very stupid!": Negation Bias in the White House

Linguistic tic suggests that even Trump thinks Trump will do not-smart things.

Subtle ways that bias and stereotypes are transmitted through language.

CIS Seniors Remake Local Senior Center Website, Approach to Information Management

Often, a conversation about a new website provides insight into multiple ways to address user needs.

Report from the classroom.

Wage Gap, % of Women in State Legislatures Will Determine U.S. Elections

Historical correlation between two categories reveals areas for both parties to focus on.

Pure speculation about the coming elections, visualized.

Visualizing Referentiality in As I Lay Dying

Just how much (and what) do the Bundrens think of each other?

A conference paper at PALA in July, 2015.

Topologies of Discourse in Faulkner

What can network theory tell us about the constructed meanings of Thomas Sutpen?

Published in J. T. Matthews (Ed.), Faulkner in Context (Cambridge UP, 2015), 91-100. Began life as a conference paper at Faulkner & Yoknapatawpha 2014.

Facilitating Transfer Students’ Transition to a Liberal Arts College

Thinking about the transfer process from the student's perspective.

Published in College and University, vol. 89, no. 1 (Fall 2013), 51-56.

Alexa Echo, Home Brain

Amazon's product shows what the "smart home" of the future will look like.

Thoughts on the Internet of Things.

"Let Me Finish"

Mirror Neurons and Empathy in Interaction Design.

Published in interactions magazine, vol. 20, no. 5 (September+October 2013), 38-41.

You Already Know How to Use It

The Neuroscience of Usability.

Published in Smashing Magazine September 25, 2012. Also presented at Interaction 11 in Boulder, CO.

Stay Calm

And carry on making loud t.v. commercials.

Thoughts on our feeble efforts to control the loudness of television commercials.

As We May Speak

Metaphor, Conceptual Blends, and Usability.

Published in interactions magazine, vol 16, no. 3 (May+June 2009) 16-19.