Siân Lindley

About

I lead the New Computing Experiences (NCE) Area of Excellence at Microsoft Research (opens in new tab) in Cambridge. As a group, we seek to create a set of design principles, patterns and interactions that bring real value to human-AI interaction. This means creating experiences that help people accomplish their goals, develop their skills and knowledge, and have authentic connections with others. We aim to not only integrate AI with existing activities, but understand how it has the potential to transform activities in non-incremental ways. New computing experiences can be realised in multiple ways and via different interaction paradigms. We especially focus on dynamic UX, activity-centric computing, and multi-agent interactions. In collaboration with others, we are also beginning to explore interactions with AI that are enabled via wearable and mobile devices, and that utilise data from sensors.

My current focus is understanding interactions between people and AI as situated (rather than positioning AI as a general purpose technology). I am especially interested in how interactions with AI are embedded within a wider social context. My research is typically framed in knowledge work scenarios, but I have also researched front-line and gigwork, as well as use of technology in the home and by a community.

Whilst at Microsoft I have additionally studied digital possessions (you can find out more by watching my TEDx (opens in new tab) talk), web use, technology for older adults, wearable cameras, messaging devices, and situated displays. I have a PhD in Psychology from the University of York and an MSc in Human-Centred Computing Systems from the University of Sussex. I was a Lecturer at UCL before joining Microsoft in 2007.