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:
" When editing, I focus on the sharpest image and core truths, what really matters to tell moving forward. "
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
" You have to be careful not to be too weird; mental models differ internationally. "
How Research Can Drive Strategic Foresight
March 9, 2022
" If we believe we're the only champions of human experience, then we’re not doing the right job. "
The Future of Research: Bridging the Gaps
July 29, 2021
" Workplaces are in trouble: only 13% of workers worldwide are actively engaged at work. "
Data Exhaust and Personal Data: Learning from Consumer Products to Enhance Enterprise UX
June 8, 2016
" Start with yourself. It’s a great place to get a hypothesis, and then prove yourself wrong or right. "
Discussion
June 8, 2016
