Sam Ladner
Sociologist and Researcher
Sam Ladner (she/her) is a sociologist who helps teams innovate, design, and learn. She is the author of Practical Ethnography: A Guide to Doing Ethnography in The Private Sector and Mixed Methods: A Short Guide to Applied Mixed Methods Research. She has worked on dozens of software projects at Microsoft, Amazon, and many other client companies. She recently retired from Workday, an enterprise software company, as a Senior Principal Researcher studying the future of work. She received her PhD in sociology from York University and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Rosenverse talks by Sam:
" We are guardians and stewards of that story, giving people the agency to share their experience. "
Methodological toolkit for unique research impact
March 11, 2026
" Creativity is needed right from the research stage, not just in solution design. "
Methodologies: Beyond the interview [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
September 4, 2024
" Some of the most mundane objects can signal change. "
How Research Can Drive Strategic Foresight
March 9, 2022
" We see value-based research strategies emerging that center equity and ethics at the highest levels. "
The Future of Research: Bridging the Gaps
July 29, 2021
" The insurance clerks were chained to their desks, no longer making quick social pop-overs to colleagues. "
Data Exhaust and Personal Data: Learning from Consumer Products to Enhance Enterprise UX
June 8, 2016
" Only work with companies willing to invest the time required; otherwise, deliver what you can and be honest about it. "
Discussion
June 8, 2016
