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:
" Stories don’t work by extraction, people tell them and you listen. "
Methodological toolkit for unique research impact
March 11, 2026
" It’s important to put the participant at ease and not add to their cognitive burden. "
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
" Strategic positioning means research is a decision-making tool, not just a service to requests. "
The Future of Research: Bridging the Gaps
July 29, 2021
" Zuboff called it informating technology—technology that serves users by providing insight, not just automating tasks. "
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
