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# Cheryl Platz

A creative voice for the digital generation.

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.cherylplatz.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Feed: Updates and Blog Archive](https://www.cherylplatz.com/blog/)
- [Cheryl Platz shares her Cannes Lions 2026 Juror experience in her newsletter](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-shares-her-cannes-lions-2026-juror-experience-in-her-newsletter/) - Cheryl Platz recently returned from the experience of a lifetime: serving as a juror on the Cannes Entertainment Lions for Gaming Jury for 2026 and as a panelist on the corresponding Inside the Jury Room panel the following Wednesday at the event. She was incredibly honored to participate, and the experience gave her a much
- [Cheryl Platz chats video game economics with Carl Cleanthes on the Pixel Retentive Podcast](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-chats-video-game-economics-with-carl-cleanthes-on-the-pixel-retentive-podcast/) - Cheryl and host Carl talk topics like self-expression in gaming, the console replacement cycle, video game economies, the layoff situation, and so much more!
- [See why "Weird is Good" with Ideaplatz founder Cheryl Platz at the Global Innovation Forum in London November 2026](https://www.cherylplatz.com/see-why-weird-is-good-with-ideaplatz-founder-cheryl-platz-at-the-global-innovation-forum-in-london-november-2026/) - Ideaplatz founder Cheryl Platz is thrilled to be joining the creative lineup at the Global Innovation Forum in London on November 18-19, 2026. She'll be bringing a brand new mainstage talk inspired by her work on The Game Development Strategy Guide and Design Beyond Devices. Where is weirdness taking us? What does emergent behavior mean
- [Enduring Play S2 E11 Released: From Reviving to Thriving with Backyard Sports featuring Lindsay Barnett and James Deighan [Season Finale]](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e11-released-from-reviving-to-thriving-with-backyard-sports-featuring-lindsay-barnett-and-james-deighan-season-finale/) - Are retro games truly lost to time? Lindsay Barnett and James Deighan are at the forefront of a massive revival: the return of the Backyard Sports franchise. Once beloved, it faded into a loss so complete that the source code was destroyed, leaving only the IP rights in a form so hard to find that
- [Enduring Play S2 E10 Released: Semper Gumby; Flexible Project and Community Management with Desirée Rincón](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e10-released-semper-gumby-flexible-project-and-community-management-with-desiree-rincon/) - Desirée Rincón is a woman of many talents: leader, military veteran, video game program manager, social media manager, graphic designer - but at her core, always a gamer and community organizer. Her resilience has also been tested in a way few people ever face, and she continues to choose community and hope even in the
- [Cheryl Platz joins the 2026 Cannes Entertainment Lions for Gaming jury](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-platz-joins-the-2026-cannes-entertainment-lions-for-gaming-jury/) - Ideaplatz founder Cheryl Platz (@funnygodmother) is deeply honored to announce that she will be serving on the Awarding Jury for the Entertainment Lions for Gaming at @cannes_lions 2026. She takes the responsibility and privilege of setting the global benchmark for creativity very seriously - and looks forward to discovering the fun in the process! For those unfamiliar
- [Enduring Play S2 E9 Released: Better Production Techniques, Inspired By The Sims with Cory Tsang](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e9-released-better-production-techniques-inspired-by-the-sims-with-cory-tsang/) - Some of the most influential people in the industry have been too busy doing the work to talk about the work - until now. Engineer turned producer Cory Tsang is one of the few original Sims object engineers who has gone on to a second career in production on live-service games at Elder Scrolls Online
- [Cheryl Platz to give seminar for Stanford's Human-Computer Interaction Group April 24, 2026](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-platz-to-give-seminar-for-stanfords-human-computer-interaction-group-april-24-2026/) - Cheryl Platz is honored to be joining the ranks of this spring's cohort of Stanford HCI Seminar presenters, invited to share her take on the Motivators of Play and other topics related to the intersection of user experience and game design with Stanford's advanced human-computer interaction community. As Cheryl has just completed teaching this semester's
- [Free Webinar: Embrace Your Fun Factor on January 9 2026](https://www.cherylplatz.com/free-webinar-embrace-your-fun-factor/) - Sign up today to join Cheryl Platz, accomplished game developer, host of Enduring Play, and author of The Game Development Strategy Guide as she helps you discover your product's fun factor. If you've ever wondered how to inspire or delight customers in ways that transcend productivity, start with this session to explore human behavior at
- [Cheryl Platz named a 2026 Hungama Game Changer](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-platz-named-a-2026-hungama-game-changer/) - Cheryl Platz has been named one of this year's 50 Hungama Game Changers in the Gaming cohort in recognition of her ground-breaking work on her books The Game Development Strategy Guide and Design Beyond Devices, her game dev podcast Enduring Play, and her continued contributions as a game developer, content creator, and video game academic.
- [Enduring Play S2 E8 Released: Authentic Games through Cultural Technical Design with Timothy Staton-Davis](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e8-released-authentic-games-through-cultural-technical-design-with-timothy-staton-davis/) - Learn how cultural technical designer Timothy Staton-Davis is charting a new path in game development, drawing from his experiences across the industry to drive games where the technical implementation is inextricably linked with narrative and game design goals. In a game industry crowded with 10,000+ releases a year, the ability to craft unique experiences that
- [Enduring Play S2 E7 Released: Bringing Technical Design to Higher Game Dev Education with Jo Cronk](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e7-released-bringing-technical-design-to-higher-game-dev-education-with-jo-cronk/) - What does a technical designer do, and how does games education shake out in a modern context? How does design-oriented programming like prototyping really look as part of the game production process? Jo Cronk is a software engineer, technical designer, and UX specialist with over two decades of professional experience in the tech industry. From
- [Enduring Play S2 E6 Released: Proactive People Policies for Thriving Game Studios with Amy White](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e6-released-proactive-people-policies-for-thriving-game-studios-with-amy-white/) - Video games take years to develop, but often game studios make choices as if they're going to be hiring for months at a time. The failure to build in the systems that support the people at a studio - hiring, management support, career frameworks, company values and goals - are failures to thrive that can
- [Enduring Play S2 E5 Released: Helping Local Game Devs Reach Global Impact with Tim Cullings](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e5-released-helping-local-game-devs-reach-global-impact-with-tim-cullings/) - If you're looking to start or grow a thriving community of game developers, you're probably going to want to take a page from the notebook of Seattle Indies Executive Director Tim Cullings. From his time in indie and AAA gaming to his time running the biggest indie game development organization in North America, Tim is
- [Enduring Play S2 E4 Released: Events as a Catalyst for Thriving Communities with Cristina Amaya](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e4-released-events-as-a-catalyst-for-thriving-communities-with-cristina-amaya/) - Discover an astonishing variety of community insight in this candid conversation with video game event professional and nonprofit board member Cristina Amaya. Cristina's love of gaming was forged like many of her peers with late nights in World of Warcraft guilds and inspiring trips to the Penny Arcade Expo, and those formative experiences led to
- [Enduring Play: A Game Development Podcast launches Season 2 on March 3, 2026 with a powerful lineup of community leaders](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-a-game-development-podcast-launches-season-2-on-march-3-2026-with-a-powerful-lineup-of-community-leaders/) - Host, game dev, and author Cheryl Platz launches the second season of this popular video game podcast with Joanie Kraut, CEO of Women in Games International Season 2 will bring curious, candid content that speaks directly to game devs at every stage of their career: studio, indie, full time, laid off, students, and everything in
- [Enduring Play S2 E3 Released: Putting Playtesting into Your Process with Steve Bromley](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e3-released-putting-playtesting-into-your-process-with-steve-bromley/) - You don't need to be a games user researcher to confront the need for playtesting in your video game. All game developers, from solopreneurs to indies to AAAs will have to put their games in front of players at some point, hoping to learn from the experience. Steve Bromley is one of the world's foremost
- [Enduring Play S2 E2 Released: Self-Expression, Representation, and Generational Gaming with Adanna Nedd](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s2-e2-released-self-expression-representation-and-generational-gaming-with-adanna-nedd/) - Celebrate GDC week by listening to one of the many talented GDC speakers hitting San Francisco in 2026: Narrative designer, games writer, and games researcher Adanna Nedd brings her extensive knowledge of what's current in gaming to expand our horizons. Explore unexpected questions like: what's "friend slop" and why does it matter? What does self-expression
- [Cheryl Platz speaking at the 2026 GDC Festival of Gaming](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-platz-speaking-at-the-2026-gdc-festival-of-gaming/) - Cheryl Platz, author of the new book The Game Development Strategy Guide: Crafting Modern Video Games That Thrive, is thrilled to be speaking at her first Game Developers Conference as a part of the popular Spreadsheets microtalk series, returning for a second year. In this series, a collection of talented game designers from across the
- [Leveling Up: Microsoft Alumni network Featured Story (11/1/2025)](https://www.cherylplatz.com/leveling-up-microsoft-alumni-network-featured-story-11-1-2025/) - How Cheryl Platz turned a lifelong love of Pikachu into a dream role at Pokémon By Melissa Terry Her story isn’t just about games. It’s about resilience, reinvention, and the pursuit of joy—even when life throws unexpected boss battles her way. This is a repost of an article that was originally publicly accessible, but is
- [Cheryl Platz nominated for 2026 "Gamehers ICON" award; voting open now](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-platz-nominated-for-2026-gamehers-icon-award-voting-open-now/) - Cheryl Platz is deeply honored to be amongst the 2026 slate of nominees for the*gamehers GameHERS Icon this year: "Honoring talents, hosts, and public figures whose lasting influence has shaped gaming culture. This lifetime distinction celebrates those whose creativity, advocacy, and leadership have redefined what it means to make gaming a more inclusive and inspiring
- [Latest Feature Release helps all players learn to play](https://www.cherylplatz.com/latest-feature-release-helps-all-players-learn-to-play/) - In late January 2026, Pokémon TCG Live unveiled the Professor's Learning Lab, a permanent new on-demand learning mode that lets players work with Professor Fir to practice their Pokémon TCG skills at their own pace. As Creative Director of Pokémon TCG Live from start to finish on this feature, Cheryl helped her team take the
- [Cheryl Platz attends BAFTA LA Tea Party 2026](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-platz-attends-bafta-la-tea-party-2026/) - Internationally renowned designer, author, and creative director Cheryl Platz was among the invited attendees at the star-studded BAFTA LA Tea Party this year, her first time at the event since joining BAFTA's North American organization as a full voting member in 2025 in recognition of her significant contributions to the video game industry. You can
- [Happy Budew Year!](https://www.cherylplatz.com/happy-budew-year/) - Cheryl would like to wish all of her supporters, friends, colleagues, and fans a Happy Budew Year. Part of her 2025 was spent creating and planning the now-live Budew Year 2026 campaign for Pokémon TCG Live, which celebrates a tiny baby Pokémon who took the Pokemon Trading Card Game by storm this time last year
- [Cheryl Platz Celebrates First Year as Creative Director at TPCi](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-platz-celebrates-first-year-as-creative-director-at-tpci/) - On November 4, 2025 Cheryl Platz marked the end of her first year as Creative Director, Game Studio at The Pokémon Company International, focused on her work on Pokémon TCG Live - the digital version of the world-famous paper Pokémon Trading Card Game. She does not speak frequently in public about her work directly, as
- [Enduring Play E1 S10 Released: Human-Centered Production with Yesenia Cisneros](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-e1-s10-released-human-centered-production-with-yesenia-cisneros/) - The final episode of Enduring Play Season 1 launches today featuring Riot Games Senior Producer Yesenia Cisneros, whose iconic self-made journey through the gaming industry has seen her build a video game production career on a strong personal brand of people-focused problem solving, empathy, and well-executed game development fundamentals. In this practical episode, you'll get
- [Enduring Play E1 S9 Released: Doing More with Less for Video Game Art and UI/UX with Tamara Knoss](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-e1-s9-released-doing-more-with-less-for-video-game-art-and-ui-ux-with-tamara-knoss/) - The penultimate episode of Season 1 of Enduring Play: A Game Development Podcast is available worldwide featuring the versatile veteran video game artist and interface designer Tamara Knoss. Currently a Senior Technical UI Designer at Wizards of the Coast, Tamara’s experience spans animation, lead artist, UI artist, and technical artist roles. Her expansive experience is
- [Enduring Play S1 E8 Released: The Methodical Magic of Systems Design with Joe "joemag" Magdalena](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s1-e8-released-the-methodical-magic-of-systems-design-with-joe-joemag-magdalena/) - The eighth episode of Enduring Play, A Game Development Podcast hosted by Cheryl Platz is now available with guest Joe Magdalena, better known around the internet simply as joemag, sharing his perspective as an experienced systems designer on games like Hearthstone and Teamfight Tactics. Listeners will learn about what it takes to design content for
- [Enduring Play Season 1 Episode 3 Released: Creative Strategy for Thriving Teams with Amy Kalson](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-season-1-episode-3-released-creative-strategy-for-thriving-teams-with-amy-kalson/) - The third episode of Season 1 of Enduring Play: A Game Development Podcast, hosted by Game Development Strategy Guide author Cheryl Platz, is now live with guest Amy Kalson, Executive Design Producer at Meta. This week's episode starts out a bit like an episode of Apple TV's hit series Mythic Quest with a real-life story
- [Enduring Play S1 E6 Released: Growing and Shepherding Thriving Design Culture in Games with Eric Kabisch](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s1-e6-released-growing-and-shepherding-thriving-design-culture-in-games-with-eric-kabisch/) - The sixth episode of Season 1 of Enduring Play: hosted by Game Development Strategy Guide author Cheryl Platz, is now live with guest Eric Kabisch, a seasoned gaming design executive with experience at companies like Scopely, Roblox, Google, and VRChat. This episode provides a rare look behind the veil of the life of a design
- [Enduring Play S1 E5 Released: Ludonarrative Harmony for Narrative Designers with Whitney Beltrán](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s1-e5-released-ludonarrative-harmony-for-narrative-designers-with-whitney-beltran/) - The fifth episode of Season 1 of Enduring Play: A Game Development Podcast, hosted by Game Development Strategy Guide author Cheryl Platz, is now live with guest Whitney Beltrán, a multiple award-winning Mexican-American Narrative Director with over 12 years of experience in narrative design and professional writing whose experience spans triple-A video games, mobile games,
- [Enduring Play S1 E7 Released: Engineering for Scalable, Sustainable Games with Caerie Houchins](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s1-e7-released-engineering-for-scalable-sustainable-games-with-caerie-houchins/) - The seventh episode of Season 1 of Enduring Play: hosted by Game Development Strategy Guide author Cheryl Platz, is now live with guest Caerie Houchins, current Chief Technology Officer for indie gaming studio Wicked Fox Games. Caerie brings her perspective working on world-class live-service games as an engineering leader to this episode of the podcast,
- [Enduring Play S1 E2 Released: Safe and Thriving Prosocial Gaming Communities with Carlos Figueiredo](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s1-e2-released-safe-and-thriving-prosocial-gaming-communities-with-carlos-figueiredo/) - The second episode of Season 1 of Enduring Play: A Game Development Podcast, hosted by Game Development Strategy Guide author Cheryl Platz, is now live with guest Carlos Figueiredo, Director of Player Trust and Safety for Mojang Studios/Minecraft and co-founder of the Thriving in Games Group. Today's conversation brings hope for the future of positive
- [Cheryl at UX Days Seoul and UX Days Tokyo 2019](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-at-ux-days-seoul-and-ux-days-tokyo-2019/) - Cheryl was deeply honored this month to speak at both UX Days Tokyo and the inaugural UX Days Seoul! UX Days 2019 marked the debut of Cheryl's new brand new talk, Voice User Interface Design: New Solutions for Old Problems. (Click here to download Cheryl's UX Days 2019 talk slides in PDF form from the
- [Enduring Play S1 E4 Released: The Global Heartbeat of Music Games with David Ventura](https://www.cherylplatz.com/enduring-play-s1-e4-released-the-global-heartbeat-of-music-games-with-david-ventura/) - The fourth episode of Season 1 of Enduring Play: A Game Development Podcast, hosted by Game Development Strategy Guide author Cheryl Platz, is now live with guest David Ventura, CEO and Creative Director of Swedish indie gaming studio Ichigoichie Games. This unique episode also features music from Ichigoichie's games in the transitions between the podcast
- [Game Development Strategy Guide author Cheryl Platz launches academic book tour in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh](https://www.cherylplatz.com/game-development-strategy-guide-author-cheryl-platz-launches-academic-book-tour-in-philadelphia-and-pittsburgh/) - Veteran game developer and author Cheryl Platz is headed to Drexel University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon University in early November PITTSBURGH, PA, UNITED STATES, October 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Today's students are better positioned than any other generation to leverage the power of game design and development in the professional world, but
- [Author Cheryl Platz speaks about Opti-Pessimism at Design Matters Tokyo on the Game Development Strategy Guide book tour](https://www.cherylplatz.com/author-cheryl-platz-speaks-about-opti-pessimism-at-design-matters-tokyo-on-the-game-development-strategy-guide-book-tour/) - September 14, 2025 / Tokyo, Japan: Author of the Game Development Strategy Guide, Cheryl Platz, debuted her second new talk in two months as one of the closing keynotes at Design Matters Tokyo 2025. Entitled "Future Sight in Design: Using Process and Context to Solve the Right Problems," this talk focused on two case studies
- [The Game Development Strategy Guide releases worldwide as an Amazon Top New Release in the Game Design category!](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-game-development-strategy-guide-releases-worldwide-as-an-amazon-top-new-release-in-the-game-design-category/) - The Game Development Strategy Guide: Crafting Modern Video Games That Thrive released on Tuesday, September 16 worldwide, and quickly shot up to the Top New Release spot for several days in the competitive Game Design category. The Strategy Guide has also been charting in the general Best Sellers list in several game development related categories
- [New Game Development Podcast: 'Enduring Play' Explores Thriving Games and Studios With Industry Veterans](https://www.cherylplatz.com/new-game-development-podcast-enduring-play-explores-thriving-games-and-studios-with-industry-veterans-2/) - Level up your game development career at any stage of the game with 10 candid interviews that explore the best and the worst of modern video game development. BELLEVUE, WA, UNITED STATES, August 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- It’s time to level up your game development career by learning from a series of engaging and candid
- [The Game Development Strategy Guide celebrated by early reviewers; selected by Kirkus Reviews for an indie spotlight](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-game-development-strategy-guide-celebrated-by-early-reviewers-selected-by-kirkus-reviews-for-an-indie-spotlight/) - New book by Cheryl Platz honored for its groundbreaking approach to demystifying and documenting modern video game development with new tools and insights in a fun and accessible way Bellevue, WA : The Game Development Strategy Guide: Crafting Modern Video Games That Thrive is a uniquely expansive take on end-to-end on video game development written
- [New Game Development Podcast: 'Enduring Play' Explores Thriving Games and Studios With Industry Veterans](https://www.cherylplatz.com/new-game-development-podcast-enduring-play-explores-thriving-games-and-studios-with-industry-veterans/) - Level up your game development career at any stage of the game with 10 candid interviews that explore the best and the worst of modern video game development. BELLEVUE, WA, UNITED STATES, August 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- It’s time to level up your game development career by learning from a series of engaging and candid
- [The Game Development Strategy Guide receives "Get It" recommendation from Kirkus Reviews](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-game-development-strategy-guide-receives-get-it-recommendation-from-kirkus-reviews/) - I'm thrilled to share that the experienced reviewers at Kirkus Reviews appreciated the Strategy Guide's unique and accessible take on the video game industry, yielding a "Get It" recommendation for their readers. Head to the site to read the full review and share your own opinion of the book with other readers after its release.
- [Author Cheryl Platz launches book tour for The Game Development Strategy Guide at Seattle Indies SLICE on August 27](https://www.cherylplatz.com/author-cheryl-platz-launches-book-tour-for-the-game-development-strategy-guide-at-seattle-indies-slice-on-august-27/) - Explore changes in player motivations backed by theory and data paired with ideas in Cheryl’s microtalk “The Modern Motivators of Play” at McCaw Hall SEATTLE, WA, UNITED STATES, August 26, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Author, game developer, and creative director Cheryl Platz is honored to be launching the book tour for her new book, The Game Development
- [2025 Book Tour Launches aug 27 in Seattle at SLICE](https://www.cherylplatz.com/2025-book-tour-launches-aug-27-in-seattle-at-slice/) - Cheryl is honored to be bringing her first talk from The Game Development Strategy Guide to Seattle Indies SLICE at McCaw Hall on Wednesday, August 27. Cheryl will be delivering a 10-minute microtalk The Modern Motivators of Play that provides data to support the change in player motivation over the last few years, and what
- ["The Perfect Pivot": New talk debut at Games UX Summit 2024](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-perfect-pivot-new-talk-debut-at-games-ux-summit-2024/) - I was honored to share insights from two recent video game design engagements at the Games UX Summit 2024, which was hosted online December 19, 2024. Video will be available and updated here later, but for folks looking for the slides, you can review or download the slides here. This talk examined two case studies
- [Fail Limit Exceeded: Cheryl on the Decline of Twitter](https://www.cherylplatz.com/fail-limit-exceeded-cheryl-on-the-decline-of-twitter/) - Cheryl’s recent post for Medium on June’s rate limit “feature” release was promoted as a Staff Pick, sent out in several large-distribution Medium newsletters including Longreads, and met with some great discussion and discourse. In this piece, Cheryl breaks down the potentially unintended consequences of these restrictions and how they cut to the core of
- [New Medium Post: The UX Behind #THEUNLOCK Part 1](https://www.cherylplatz.com/new-medium-post-the-ux-behind-theunlock-part-1/) - Newly available at both cherylplatz.medium.com and the Riot Games UX Design Medium publication is my latest detailed behind the scenes piece about the exciting and groundbreaking design work we're doing on behalf of players here at Riot Games. In this first of a series piece, I'm pulling back the veil on the strategic work I
- [I'm hosting the 2023 SFWA Nebula Awards!](https://www.cherylplatz.com/im-hosting-the-2023-sfwa-nebula-awards/) - Sometimes life seems like fiction - but I'm thrilled to announce that I have been honored by an invitation to act as the Toastmaster for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association's 58th annual Nebula Awards in Anaheim, California on May 14, 2023. This year's awards mark the first time since 2019 that an in-person
- [Cheryl's Nebula Awards Toastmaster Speech](https://www.cherylplatz.com/nebula-awards-full-ceremony-video/) - On May 14, 2023, Cheryl served as Toastmaster for the 58th Annual Nebula Awards. Her work included a 15-minute monologue she wrote herself, along with a series of scripted interludes in partnership with her husband David Foubert as the Computer Voice. She was honored to work with the writing team of Tilly and Susan Bridges
- [Stranger Than Fiction: When surgery goes weird](https://www.cherylplatz.com/stranger-than-fiction/) - Thank you for all of the kind words, encouragement, solidarity, and even generous gifts during the run up to my tumor removal surgery last week. I've just returned from my post-op appointment with my gynecologic oncologist, so I can finally share an update on my condition. Long story short: I'm "recovering like a champ" and
- [The Traitor Within: A call for reproductive health](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-traitor-within-a-call-for-reproductive-health/) - Women across the nation - and the world - are fighting an epidemic of reproductive ills. From fibroids and dermoids to polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis, women’s reproductive systems are sabotaging our health. Women suffer daily, and countless children – wanted, desired, strived for – never come to fruition in this world of unwell. This
- [The Glitch in my Matrix](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-glitch-in-my-matrix/) - This long post adds another chapter to this year's medical saga, and it contains some medical details you may not want. Buckle up, folks - it's been a hell of a year. As many of you know, the first half of this year saw me struggling with significant health issues – ovarian tumors that were
- [Voice Design Articles on Medium](https://www.cherylplatz.com/voice-design-articles-on-medium/) - Over the past year, I've published a series of posts on the topics of voice user interfaces and conversational user interfaces. While not quite equivalent, these two topics are fundamentally linked, and over the coming years the two experience classes will likely converge far more than is seen today. Want to read more? Please join
- [Half the Blank Page](https://www.cherylplatz.com/half-the-blank-page/) - In September 2014, I left Microsoft to join a new product team at Amazon. The project itself is still classified, but it's a v1 technology product, which means we're starting from scratch. An exciting opportunity, but it changes the way one has to approach the role of user experience. Instead of researching existing products and
- [Fall 2017 European Tour Itinerary](https://www.cherylplatz.com/fall-2017-european-tour-itinerary/) - After months of planning, part 2 of my European voice design speaking tour is upon us. I'm honored to be speaking 5 times across 3 cities: Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo. Many of the events are close to selling out, so if one of these events interests you, please book immediately! Design Matters // Copenhagen, Denmark
- [A Lost Summer](https://www.cherylplatz.com/a-lost-summer/) - Friends, fans, and fellow nerds: I have a sad personal announcement to make. It's been an honor to portray Ma1nfram3 on Shadowrun: Corporate SINs these last 16 months. We recently decided that we will end our story on June 28, just a few short weeks away. It's bittersweet, but it's actually a great luxury to
- [Join me at Emerald City Comicon 2017](https://www.cherylplatz.com/join-me-at-emerald-city-comicon-2017/) - When I'm not designing, I'm usually performing - and as it turns out, most of my performing endeavours are pretty nerdy. As a result, I'm excited to appear in three panels - my biggest Emerald City Comicon yet! Each panel is on a different day, so there's a great chance you can join us for
- [UX Rants: Facebook and Notifications](https://www.cherylplatz.com/ux-rants-facebook-and-notifications/) - We need to talk about Notifications in Facebook. Notification systems are near and dear to my heart; I've worked in some capacity on 4 different notification systems across multiple teams. Unfortunately, Facebook is getting a bit too aggressive these days... Facebook, I get it. Folks are resistant to change. We complain every time you change
- [Improv Life: "A(n Improvised) Christmas Carol" 2016](https://www.cherylplatz.com/improv-life-an-improvised-christmas-carol-2016/) - This holiday season marks my fourth year of performing the role of Belle/Mrs. Cratchitt in “A(n Improvised) Christmas Carol” at Unexpected Productions. (We typically double-cast, so I have been sharing the role with Sarah Scheller since joining the cast.) With opening night just 3 days away, I'm in a reflective mood. My first Christmas theatrical
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 34 Recap, "Calls of the Wild"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/554-2/) - Shadowrun #CorpSINs Episode 34: Wolves, wilderness and a very famous, very dangerous visitor await MMFEC in the Shasta Mountains. Shadowrun: Corporate SINs is a fully improvised role playing game that aired LIVE every Wednesday from 6PM to 9PM Pacific time on premium livestreaming Twitch channel Hyper RPG. Cheryl co-starred as Ma1nfram3, the team's Decker. Our
- [Improv for Roleplayers: Starting Your Journey](https://www.cherylplatz.com/improv-for-roleplayers-starting-your-journey/) - For the last 8 months (and counting), I've had the honor of improvising within the constructs of a roleplaying game live on Twitch every week on "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" at Hyper RPG. Many of our fans see what we're doing on the show and ask about how to get into improv themselves, hoping that it
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 33, "A Tale of Two Sisters"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-33-recap/) - MMFEC’s relationships are as frayed as Cromwell’s optic nerves, but Miss J’s need of a BIG favor brings the team together again on a road trip southwards into political and physical peril. Shadowrun: Corporate SINs was a fully improvised role playing game aired LIVE every Wednesday from 6PM to 9PM Pacific time on premium livestreaming
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 32, "Quarantined Well"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-32-recap/) - MMFEC tries to take a stand to save a life, but time runs too short to do things by the book. Will Cromwell survive this turn of his moral compass? Watch all episodes of "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" on our YouTube playlist; Ep 32 is embedded at the end of this post. We rejoin MMFEC immediately
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 31, "Runner's Choice"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-31-recap/) - MMFEC faces their greatest moral challenge yet: do the needs of millions suffering from VITAS outweigh the needs of one elderly woman taken against her will as a human sacrifice? Watch all episodes of "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" on our YouTube playlist; Ep 31 is embedded at the end of this post. We rejoin MMFEC in
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 30, "Ritual Delivery"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-30-recap/) - Ma1nfram3 attempts to rob a bank of data in broad daylight as MMFEC finishes their political mission. The team gets surprisingly busy during a month off (TWO of them have dates?), and gangs up to surprise Ma1nfram3 with a birthday party. And Aztechnology makes MMFEC a dangerous offer they can't refuse... Watch all episodes of
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 29, "Five Shadowrunners and a Cyberleg"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/537-2/) - Elsie and Fang try to get a prison inmate new cyberlegs in exchange for critical information. Ma1nfram3, Cromwell and Mordecai prepare for a bank heist, but not without a few bumps along the way. Watch all episodes of "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" on our YouTube playlist; Ep 29 is embedded at the end of this post.
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 28, "Making friends, Breaking Files"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-28-recap/) - MMFEC isn’t done with political intrigue – after getting most of them off easy, everyone in MMFEC must go undercover to see how deep the rabbit hole goes. Watch all episodes of "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" on our YouTube playlist; Ep 28 is embedded at the end of this post. We rejoin MMFEC in the hospital.
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 27, "Retreat from Politics"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-27-recap/) - MMFEC continues in their pursuit of Emile Corrigan – Governor Brackenhaven’s now-missing Chief of Staff – at the behest of Seattle DA Dana Oakes. But they overstay their welcome and find themselves in deeper than they ever intended... Watch all episodes of "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" on our YouTube playlist; Ep 27 is embedded at the
- [Immediacy Lost: The NBC Olympics](https://www.cherylplatz.com/immediacy-lost-the-nbc-olympics/) - In a world where Twitch and live video platforms are rapidly emerging, NBC's Olympic coverage - often tape-delayed and difficult to track - deprived American audiences of the context they seek so hungrily. Shared, simultaneous experiences. The context a moment in time only provides once. As many Americans know, NBC once again received very unenthusiastic
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 26, "A Swift Retreat"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-26-recap/) - "Constructively Destructive" shadowrun team MMFEC dips their toes into a world of political intrigue, starting with a stealthy HR invasion and ending with minors at a bar? Emile Corrigan proves elusive yet… Watch all episodes of "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" on our YouTube playlist; Ep 26 is embedded at the end of this post. We rejoin
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 25, "Returning Favors"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/522-2/) - MMFEC retrieves Cromwell, but loses Elsie in the process. Ma1nfram3 turns frustration into triumph in the Matrix - and also goes on a date? We rejoin the team in the midst of an attempt to retrieve their kidnapped troll teammate Cromwell from a train headed to a rendezvous with the Whitetree crime family. Mordecai has
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 24, "MMFE to the Rescue"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-24-recap/) - MMFEC goes to the mall to discover Cromwell’s whereabouts, and finds themselves winging a high-speed train heist with no time for planning and life-or-death stakes. Watch all episodes of "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" on our YouTube playlist; Ep 24 is embedded at the end of this post. We rejoin MMFE(C) on the deck of the Empress
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 23, "We're On A Boat"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-23-recap/) - Per Wuxing's request, MMFEC has positioned themselves atop the Empress, a container ship bearing Wuxing goods and with a proverbial target on its bow. They face a fierce battle against violent Yakuza to defend the merchandise and the ship, but it turns out that's not necessarily the cargo the Yakuza were looking for this time.
- [Pokémon Go: The De-Gamification](https://www.cherylplatz.com/pokemon-go-the-de-gamification/) - I am a lifelong Pokémon fan (Pikachu was my ringbearer) that desperately wants Pokémon GO to survive and thrive. I think the game has tremendous, disruptive potential for the long term (you can read my initial writeup on Forbes.com.) But I’m also a 15-year veteran of the software, gaming and entertainment industries - and I
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 22, "Gangs and Ships"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-22-recap/) - In Episode 22, MMFEC gets the data Wuxing wanted - but at a steep price for Elsie and Cromwell. The team goes deeper on their Wuxing mission, but will it be their last as a team? Catch all episodes of "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" on our YouTube playlist; Ep 22 is embedded at the end of
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 21, "Back to School"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-21-recap/) - In Episode 21, Ma1n decides to stay with MMFEC at Fang's behest (for now), and the team pursues a split mission: with Elsie undercover in an environment only she can decipher; and the rest of the team on a stealth run to investigate a Yakuza problem for Wuxing. Catch replays of all "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs"
- [Breaking Up With Alexa: A Career Announcement](https://www.cherylplatz.com/plus-ca-change/) - My ability to acquire an augmented reality Pikachu is not the only reason July 2016 is a momentous month for me. Today marks my final day in just under 2 years at Amazon. I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to work on so many historic projects – almost all of which remain unannounced, but
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 20, Follow The Money](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-20-recap/) - Episode 20 was full of DRAMA and some unexpectedly relevant conversations about race relations in the 6th world. It also showed the full range of MMFEC's abilities; from failure to possible triumph. And their considerable talent at inter-team strife. Read on for more detail from my end of the table, or hop to the bottom
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 19, Hunting the Hunters](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-19-recap/) - MMFEC apparently believes the best way to repay the Draco Foundation's confidence in them is to fail spectacularly! This was a fairly Ma1nfram3-light episode due to Cromwell's fairly inept shadowrunner chaos, so a shorter recap than normal. We rejoin the runners as they use up their remaining hotel time at the Horizon theme park hotel where
- [Laugh, Cry, Sigh: The Journal (2016)](https://www.cherylplatz.com/theatre-life-the-journal-2016/) - Laugh, cry and sigh with us! My next show runs this month - the return of Seattle Experimental Theater's "The Journal", July 14 - 23 at the Ballard Underground in Seattle. Advance tickets available for $18 at Brown Paper Tickets ($20 at the door). This week brings the (re)opening of a special show: The Journal; a
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 17, The Underworld](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-17-recap/) - Week 17 humbled me, completely. Our second week of shadowrunning at “Sunset Island”, a Horizon theme park that is about to open – except for the murderous technomancer seeking revenge for the corp’s past actions. But the live taping of the episode was a more epic hype train than I was really prepared for; I’m
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 16, It's A Little Planet After All](https://www.cherylplatz.com/corpsins-episode-16-recap/) - Trying something new this week - moving recaps to my blog for easier reading. These recaps are from Ma1nfram3's perspective, largely, and may not completely represent the episode. ;) Episode 16 VOD Leaving London We rejoin MMFEC at the Under 10 Championships in an industrial district of London. Elsie and Cromwell have sprung for VIP
- [Shadowrun #CorpSINs: Episode 18, Into the Underpark](https://www.cherylplatz.com/shadowrun-corpsins-episode-18-recap/) - In Episode 18 "Into the Underpark", MMFEC has been separated from their tank and faces a more "traditional" dungeon crawl laced with physical traps along the way to their goal: bringing the technomancer who's been terrorizing the park out alive. Read on for a recap, and then join us at 6PM every Wednesday (Pacific Time)
- [Theatre Life: "I Saw U"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/theatre-life-i-saw-u/) - Tonight is my final performance for this run of "I Saw U" at Unexpected Productions. This is actually the second run for this show - I very much enjoyed the first production in May/June 2014. Unlike some of our shows, this one uses very rich suggestions - specifically, 4 real-life stories pulled from a very
- [Ma1n-splaining To Do: Shadowrun CorpSINs Week 6](https://www.cherylplatz.com/ma1nsplaining-to-do-corpsins-week-6/) - Welcome, chummers! Hard to believe we're already done with 6 episodes of "Shadowrun: Corporate SINs" at Hyper RPG. Last week, my character Ma1nfram3 made a major reveal of one of her secrets to the rest of MMFEC. It's kind of her own fault for starting Truth or Dare in the first place, but I digress.
- [Welcome to the Twitchbowl: Hyper RPG](https://www.cherylplatz.com/welcome-to-the-twitchbowl-hyper-rpg/) - Rebroadcasts of Shadowrun: Corporate SINs are available on-demand at HyperRPG's YouTube channel. I joined the Twitch universe recently in a big way. In January, several of my friends from NERDprov and I were approached by a producer, Zac Eubank, who had just moved up here from Los Angeles to start a gaming-oriented Twitch channel. Would
- [Alexa Knows Pokemon Types](https://www.cherylplatz.com/alexa-knows-pokemon-types/) - I'm proud to introduce my first publicly released Alexa Skill, "Trainer Tips." This (unofficial) Pokemon reference skill gives Alexa the ability to provide you with type matchup information while you're in the thick of a battle. With 18 Pokemon types in the latest games, it's hard to track all of the immunities, strengths, and weaknesses
- [Hello Computer: My path to voice UX](https://www.cherylplatz.com/hello-computer/) - We’ve already established I grew up in a Trekkie household – so even though my fervor was largely attained in adulthood, I did still have strong opinions about parts of that universe. Specifically, my favorite Trek movie was always Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Of course, the juxtaposition of those future characters in present-day
- [Hover to the Future](https://www.cherylplatz.com/hover-to-the-future/) - About a year ago, shortly after I began my tenure at Amazon and bi-monthly trips to the South Bay Area, I stumbled upon yet another Kickstarter. My Kickstarter portfolio has included books, drink-cooling devices, card games, video games, a design school, and in one case geeky baking sprinkles. All successfully funded, though many late deliveries.
- [A Day at Chambers Bay: The US Open](https://www.cherylplatz.com/a-day-at-chambers-bay-the-us-open/) - Yesterday, my husband and I spent a very long day at Chambers Bay, WA for the first day of championship play of the US Open. These tickets were my Christmas gift for my golf fan husband. Such a rare opportunity couldn't be missed since he plays golf regularly in his hometown of Tacoma, mere minutes
- [User Testing: Unlocking Feedback with Post-Test Surveys](https://www.cherylplatz.com/user-testing-unlocking-feedback-with-post-test-surveys/) - For the first time in a while, I’m designing and running my own usability studies. Carnegie Mellon cross-trains its HCI students in both research and design, so it’s a bit like riding a bike – it comes back eventually. Post-university, I used to run studies and focus groups when I was a producer in the
- [Improv Life: Hot Tin Streetcar](https://www.cherylplatz.com/improv-life-hot-tin-streetcar/) - Tonight was opening night for my latest show, “Hot Tin Streetcar”, at Unexpected Productions. One of my favorite exercises in improvisational theatre is genre long form improv – building improvised one-act plays or television-style episodes in tribute to an existing theatrical style, film style, playwright or director. The art of genre improv requires the improviser
- [The Discovery of Strangers](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-discovery-of-strangers/) - It was a long week, one that started well in another state, but long just the same. From Disneyland on Sunday, to the knowledge that my team’s work was being reviewed by our CEO on Monday. Like Schroedinger’s Box, that meeting held some important revelation but none of us could see it. Positive news came
- [Business Travel for Beginners: Part 2 (The Journey)](https://www.cherylplatz.com/business-travel-for-beginners-part-2-the-journey/) - In Part 1 of this two-part article, I discussed some of the quirks and speedbumps you might expect when planning a business trip. What happens next? Time for the journey to begin. While some of these tips may apply to all forms of travel, I find it’s far more important to be organized and comfortable
- [Business Travel for Beginners: Part 1 (Planning and Booking)](https://www.cherylplatz.com/business-travel-for-beginners/) - Business travel tends to sounds glamorous to outsiders. Yet the reality is often anything but - once you get past the initial adrenaline rush when you represent your company on the road. And the logistics can be overwhelming, especially for first-timers. Let me walk you through the basics of becoming a road warrior, one corporate
- [A Few Steps towards a Brighter Future](https://www.cherylplatz.com/a-few-steps-towards-a-brighter-future/) - The IGNITE Brighter Future Walk was a great success today - we raised nearly $5,000 (and will probably surpass that with matching corporate funds) and saw both familiar faces in addition to some new faces - like a large contingent of lovely ladies from GeekGirlCon, where coincidentally I'll be speaking in October! (Date and time
- [Winning at the Starting Line](https://www.cherylplatz.com/winning-at-the-starting-line/) - Countless articles and books have been written about the gender balance problems that continue to plague the tech industry. I've been passionate about outreach at the K-12 level for years, but what of those of us already in the workplace? A recent article that got me thinking about the topic once again in great detail
- [A Life Lived Long and Prosperous](https://www.cherylplatz.com/a-life-lived-long-and-prosperous/) - I am very sad to hear about Leonard Nimoy's passing. My path only crossed briefly with his - when I moderated his panel at the Emerald City ComicCon 2010 (just days after my knee injury and surgery) and briefly again in Calgary that same year, where this picture was taken. Mr. Nimoy was quite literally
- [The Bird at the Door](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-birds-at-the-door/) - I'm allergic to animal dander, so pets have always been out of the question for me. A few years ago, my now-husband recommended we get a birdfeeder, seeing that I enjoyed watching the birds hopping about in the very large evergreen tree that sits directly outside my condo balcony. Years later, the birdfeeder has expanded
- [GarageGate 2015](https://www.cherylplatz.com/garagegate-2015/) - On Friday, January 23, I wrapped up my work for the day - but needed to head downtown for my TheatreSports performance. I had a few hours between, so the plan was: grab dinner, a leisurely drink, read a bit, and get centered for performing at 10:30.I got to my garage – the 7th and
- [Many Years on the Final Frontier](https://www.cherylplatz.com/368-2/) - It is a ritual we have nurtured over the course of over three years. The curlers must start heating no less than 90 minutes prior to showtime. The rollers must be in by 7:10 PM, so that we can join the others in fight call and the traditional warmups. At 7:30, we return so that
- [A Farewell to 2014](https://www.cherylplatz.com/a-farewell-to-2014/) - This year, I learned that I'm far better at flying a jet than I am at falling through the air, that oranges are pretty great fresh off the tree in your parents' yard, that tiaras and roller coasters are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and that I'm a far faster runner than I expected; especially when
- [A Tale of Two Carols](https://www.cherylplatz.com/a-tale-of-two-carols/) - For our second Christmas season as a married couple, my husband (David Foubert) and I plunged headfirst into the world of Christmas spirit. We ended up in different interpretations of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” just seven blocks apart. In truth, our Christmas journey began in the Mediterranean Ocean in June, where Dave got word he
- [The Power of 10](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-power-of-10/) - Ten years ago today, I arrived in Redmond as a new resident, about to start a new job and a new life. I had never heard of a "floating bridge", never seen a bald eagle, never done anything remotely outdoorsy, didn't understand why the highway had those raised "turtles" in the lane markings, and had only
- [Closure on the Sidelines: Running to Heal](https://www.cherylplatz.com/closure-at-the-finish-line/) - In March of 2010, I shattered my kneecap into five pieces. (If you want to know how I did it, I’ll just say that I told Leonard Nimoy that I broke it fighting crime on the moon, and he laughed, so now that’s my story.) The injury was catastrophic and instantaneous. One moment I was
- [Improvception: Making Up An Acting Career](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-improv-genesis/) - In the scope of my existence, improv was a happy accident with a rocky journey. I started on the journey, quite simply, due to peer pressure. I was in the midst of rehearsals for my very first college show, “Compleat Works of Willm Shkspre [Abridged]”, and I was in heaven. Every rehearsal was a joy.
- [My Africa Diaries: Nashipai's Big Adventure](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-nashipaies-big-adventure/) - There’s one particular story about my Africa trip that I’ve been saving. I’ve described in previous posts my 3-day safari to the Maasai Mara – but I’ve not yet discussed the events of the final morning prior to our return to Nairobi. (If you're just joining us, read this post for a recap of our
- [My Africa Diaries: The Mara in Photos](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-the-mara/) - After our first day of pre-safari adventures, our next two days were full day game drives in the Maasai Mara game reserve. Each morning started quite early – usually up by 5:30 so that my colleague and I could shower and dress before breakfast. The meals at the camp were generally great comfort food, but
- [My Africa Diaries: A Village Welcome](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-close-encounters-of-the-maasai-kind/) - On our first day on safari (just viewing wildlife - not hunting it!), we discovered that the Masaai Mara reserve had changed their policy so that it was impossible to pay for a partial safari day - and charges per person per day are $80, so a visit of a few hours wouldn’t be cost
- [My Africa Diaries: Comfort in Food](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-drinking-eating-and-drinking/) - Most travelers will tell you that many of their memories are made at a dining table or roadside stand with food in their hand. It's impossible to separate travel from the food we consume. When you're on another continent, that experience is bound to contrast one's own lived experience somewhat. THE WATER The first thing
- [My Africa Diaries: Video Safari](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-video-safari/) - Video diary of our travel to and time in the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya: Since I'm not a professional cinematographer or photographer, my goal on safari was largely to experience it myself, not to document it perfectly. I brought my relatively new point and shoot camera (Powershot ELPH 330). I love the video
- [My Africa Diaries: The Good Safaritans](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-the-good-safaritans/) - After a full week at the iHub, we awakened early to meet our safari guides for our 5 hour drive to the Maasai Mara. The van we were to take was out front along with numerous other safari vehicles – the Norfolk is a very common starting point for safaris going back to the 1900s.
- [My Africa Diaries: Working at iHub](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-working-at-ihub/) - The primary reason I’m in Africa is as a volunteer for the Microsoft4Afrika program. One part of their outreach is to match professionals from Microsoft with identified technology needs in African countries. Many of the assignments are either teaching advanced skills or helping with infrastructure and IT needs. For my own part, I was matched
- [My Africa Diaries: The Clash](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-the-clash/) - One of the most striking things about Kenya was what a blend of the future and the past it represented in almost every location, all swirled up in one moment of technology and tradition. The iHub was in a way a space out of time or place. The welcome mats read “There’s no place like
- [My Africa Diaries: The Final Sprint](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-the-final-sprint/) - Kenyans are renowned for their sprinting abilities... in stark contrast to my own physical proclivities. But I did my own form of sprinting today, with a back to back day on the heels of a successful Thursday. Thursday: Gaming, psychology, and the future of UX The first half of the day was brainstorming a plan
- [My Africa Diaries: The Journey Out](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-the-journey-out/) - It's my first full day in Nairobi today, which means that I'm just 12 hours off of my longest travel stretch ever. The journey to Nairobi required a 10-hour flight to Amsterdam, a 3+ hour layover, a 1-hour flight delay on the plane, and another 8-hour flight from AMS to NBO. This was my first
- [My Africa Diaries: The Little Things](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-the-little-things/) - My first full day in Nairobi, as with any first visit to a foreign country, was full of little observations - the similarities and the differences. The Bathrooms Public bathrooms all have ceiling-to-floor doors. I've only ever seen them this widespread on cruise ships before. Not sure if it's privacy, security, or just some weird
- [My Africa Diaries: Prologue](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-prologue/) - Back in December, I was browsing the internal Microsoft forums (Yammer) and stumbled across an announcement for a new volunteer outreach program – MySkills4Afrika, part of the larger Microsoft for Afrika program. They were accepting applications from full-time employees to share their skills and expertise to energize the tech industry and entrepreneurship in Africa. Instantly,
- [Fastpass is Dead, Long Live Fastpass+](https://www.cherylplatz.com/fastpass-is-dead-long-live-fastpass/) - In the past 6 months I’ve had the opportunity to use the new Disney World MyMagic+ system as a guest at Animal Kingdom Lodge on two separate trips – my honeymoon in October and a trip at the end of January. In October, we got to test the Fastpass+ system – which allows you to
- [Life in the Theater: Wedding Horror Stories](https://www.cherylplatz.com/life-in-the-theater-wedding-horror-stories/) - How often do you get to say "I'm fighting my maid of honor regularly" and have it be completely and totally normal? Back in 2012, my friend Jeannine - also the founder of one of the theater companies I worked for - placed a new show on the company's calendar - 'Wedding Horror Stories'. Several
- [Grrrrrrl, Uninterrupted](https://www.cherylplatz.com/grrrrrrl-uninterrupted/) - Soon I’ll be marking my 5-year anniversary as an ensemble member with Unexpected Productions. It’s been quite a journey – when I started, I couldn’t imagine ever holding a candle to the veteran performers with decades of experience with the troupe. My first improv training, as it was, came in the form of peer workshops
- [Playing till the Ides of March](https://www.cherylplatz.com/playing-till-the-ides-of-march/) - March is definitely coming in like a lion for me - many performances and appearances in the next 14 days, including several appearances at the Emerald City Comicon. Here's where to find me: SATURDAY MARCH 2nd: "Where No Man Has Gone Before"Emerald City Comicon (#ECCC)12PM - 1PM, Room 2ABPerforming our fully improvised Star Trek parody
- [Year of the Wedding](https://www.cherylplatz.com/year-of-the-wedding/) - I never imagined that getting married would be such a communal experience. I've never been big into the wedding circuit. To be honest, I've not even been to that many weddings. Many of my friends got married before I knew them, or I wasn't close with them yet when their marriages occurred. I've been a
- [Life in the Theatre: "The Underpants"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/life-in-the-theatre-the-underpants/) - This weekend marks the closing of my latest theatrical project – starring as Louise in Steve Martin’s adaptation of “The Underpants” as presented by the Microsoft Theatre Troupe. Sophomore Foreshadowing Long ago but not so far away, I was a sophomore in college who had just flown across the country for the VERY FIRST time
- [2012 By the Lists](https://www.cherylplatz.com/2012-by-the-lists/) - 2012 was a crazy year for me, aside from blogging where I failed a bit in the second half of the year. As is tradition, a look back at what happened: Productions I Appeared In: The Underpants (Louise)Where No Man Has Gone Before (Nurse Chapel)The Journal (Ruth/Bri/Mom/etc)Seattle TheatreSportsNERDprov Convention/Festival Performances: Seattle Festival of Improv Theatre
- [Design for DigiGirlz](https://www.cherylplatz.com/design-for-digigirlz/) - On Wednesday, I had the unique experience of teaching 110 high school girls an intro to interaction design workshop. Officially entitled “Making the World Easier With Interaction Design”, this was a course I built from scratch after offering to teach the subject at Microsoft’s annual Digigirlz Tech Camp. It’s a free weeklong program open to
- [Take Your Kids to <strike>Work</strike> The Carnival Day](https://www.cherylplatz.com/take-your-kids-to-work-the-carnival-day/) - Last Friday was Take Your Kids to Work Day, formerly Take Your Daughters to Work Day. I participated as a mentor, talking to kids and answering questions about how to combine art and technology in jobs at places like Microsoft. Now, it’s no secret that I’m pretty passionate about this kind of work, seeing as
- [Care and Feeding of your Sick and Injured Friends](https://www.cherylplatz.com/care-and-feeding-of-your-sick-and-injured-friends/) - There comes a point in life when our mortality is called into sharp relief. For some, it is a harsh and sudden awakening. But more often, it’s the growing realization that the people around you are more frequently falling ill or otherwise requiring significant medical care. Mine was one of the harsh and sudden awakenings
- [Tale of a Mix Tape](https://www.cherylplatz.com/tale-of-a-mix-tape/) - (Well, a mix CD, but that didn’t sound as good.) Over the years I’ve developed a strong belief that the “universe” sometimes takes a heavier hand in our lives. I’ve seen evidence that the universe can send us signs when we’re on the right path, and try to slow us down if we’re skipping down
- [Company Girl](https://www.cherylplatz.com/company-girl/) - There are many valid ways to pursue one’s career aspirations, but most tend to fall into two categories: Those who choose to run their own company Those who choose to work for someone else I most definitely fall into the latter category. I have tremendous respect for those who can weather the storms of uncertainty
- [The Why of Northwest Winters](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-why-of-northwest-winters/) - The Pacific Northwest got a little bit of national buzz this week for the “historic” snowfall that didn’t turn out to be. Still, we’re getting 3 inches in the urban core and more like 6 out here in the Burbs. Which is far more than the basic level required for our standard Northwest Snow Freakout
- [New Year's Reflections](https://www.cherylplatz.com/new-years-reflections/) - 2012 started well: fresh off a winning performance in our TheatreSports NYE extravaganza, my love and I headed outside and watched the (impressive) Space Needle fireworks from the grounds of the Seattle Center. Then a night of dancing and general merriment in the foyer of the Intiman Playhouse. My kind of night, and hopefully an
- [The Cysterhood](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-cysterhood/) - Every time I watch Grey’s Anatomy, I think to myself, “Hospitals aren’t like that.” I’ve seen more hospitals than is reasonable for someone my age, and not once did I see even a hint of delightful banter or sexual tension between the doctors. Since I’m in a medical mood, I’ll share another of my stories.
- [First Look: I Touch My Kindle](https://www.cherylplatz.com/first-look-i-touch-my-kindle/) - Intro By popular demand: my first thoughts on my Kindle Touch 3G (no ads), which arrived just hours ago at my front door. First of all, I bought this device entirely out of curiosity and love for Kindles – my second generation Kindle is now 2 years old, still fully functioning, and a hardworking companion.
- [Broadway's Fickle Regards](https://www.cherylplatz.com/broadways-fickle-regards/) - I just returned from an overly eventful 11-day trip to the East Coast, with the majority of that time spent in New York City. The original motivation for the trip was to see Book of Mormon and to escort a dear friend from Seattle to the East Coast – she was moving to Boston semi-permanently.
- [Life in the Theatre: September Skies](https://www.cherylplatz.com/life-in-the-theatre-september-skies/) - My most recent theatrical project, the world premiere of local playwright Jim Moran’s “September Skies,” closed a bit less than two weeks ago. (Hence the radio silence these last few weeks here on the blog.) It was so much more of a journey and a gift than I could have anticipated at the beginning of
- [Soliloquy of a Graduate Student](https://www.cherylplatz.com/soliloquy-of-a-graduate-student/) - I opened Pandora's box today. While idling in traffic, curiosity struck me out of the blue. I've been keeping online journals since 1997, give or take, stretched across 4 or so sites. Would any still be active? The answer: my undergrad journal is no longer with us, but my grad school journal DOES exist, on
- [Being Grover](https://www.cherylplatz.com/being-grover/) - My handle (as of this time) on most of the Internet is “muppetaphrodite”. It’s true that I have a deep appreciation for the Muppets that runs to my infancy - an apparent near-immediate obsession with Sesame Street that I think played a large role in my reading at 18 months. That obsession was only fueled
- [Table for One](https://www.cherylplatz.com/table-for-one/) - Growing up "smart", kids can be pretty cruel - and no matter how much academic success I found, there was also a lingering loneliness. I lost several "best" friends to what I can only understand in retrospect as jealousy or something along those lines; the streak of cruel girls was significant. Maybe I was just
- [My Precious](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-precious/) - I'm not a car nut or anything like that, but I DO love my car. It enables my life, spread out as it is over the entirety of the Puget Sound. It's been with me longer than I've lived in Seattle. You don't TRULY realize how important something is to you until it disappears, even
- [What I Learned from "The Sims"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/what-i-learned-from-the-sims/) - For almost two years, I worked for Maxis, a division of EA, on various Sims games including an expansion pack for The Sims 1, game text for Sims 2, and game production and design for various console and handheld titles like The Urbz. In a way, it was a dream I never had, come true
- [The Fortuitous Cookie](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-fortuitous-cookie/) - I’ve “quit” acting twice. Clearly I’m pretty bad at quitting. The first time was partway through high school; I went to a very large public high school in Pennsylvania (850+ students per graduating class) where the competition in the theatre department was quite fierce. I started doing musicals in middle school, and by sophomore year
- [My Fantastic Voyage](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-fantastic-voyage/) - For most of my life, I've had digestive problems of varying severity. Back in February, this manifested as an extended, painful bout that lasted weeks at a time, recurred every few weeks, and began to lead to malnourishment (and, counterintuitively, skyrocketing iron levels). After running a battery of tests, blood and otherwise, it was decided
- [Unsettled](https://www.cherylplatz.com/unsettled/) - For 18 months of my life, from May 2002 - Nov 2004, I was a nomad. At one point, I had active leases on three apartments (two in CA and one in PA). It was absurd. My living situation looked something like this: Pittsburgh -> Orlando -> Pittsburgh -> Walnut Creek, CA -> Palo Alto,
- [A Whole New Musical: Aladdin at the 5th](https://www.cherylplatz.com/a-whole-new-musical-aladdin-at-the-5th/) - Last night, I had the opportunity to attend the world premiere, opening night performance of Disney's new stage musical based on the animated film Aladdin. It's the first time I've been able to see one of the first-run musicals at the 5th Avenue Theatre here in Seattle - they actually have a long history of
- [Life as Origami: Muppets in Space On Stage](https://www.cherylplatz.com/life-as-origami/) - There have been certain moments in my life where it feels as if a majority of my disparate life experiences are combining to inform a particular critical moment. In some cases, it’s not entirely surprising – like the feeling that all that Sim City play as a kid was meant to inform my future job
- [Life in the Theatre: Unexpected Productions 50-Hour Improvathon](https://www.cherylplatz.com/life-in-the-theatre-unexpected-productions-50-hour-improvathon/) - I'll be appearing this weekend in selected portions of the 50-Hour Improvathon at my home theatre, the Market Theatre in Pike Place Market, home of Unexpected Productions. We host the Improvathon every few years, but this year it is for a very specific purpose: to raise money to keep the theatre afloat during the challenges
- [Muppets, Technology and Me: Part 1](https://www.cherylplatz.com/muppets-technology-and-me-part-1/) - On several occasions, I’ve been asked, “How did you get involved in IGNITE? What is your inspiration?” At the recent IxDA Women in Design event it came up – and then, while I was traveling through the Atlanta airport I encountered a reminder in the form of an ad featuring my former professor and mentor,
- [What Comes After Ever After? (part 1)](https://www.cherylplatz.com/what-comes-after-ever-after-part-1/) - In “Muppets, Technology and Me” part 1 and part 2, I went into my background as a young geek desperately in love with theme parks, computers, and Big Bird, in no particular order. That story was intended as a prologue to this story – my personal story about how I finally realized it wasn’t “normal”
- [What Comes After Ever After? (Part 2)](https://www.cherylplatz.com/what-comes-after-ever-after-part-2/) - In Part 1, I matriculated to CMU thanks to a presentation by Randy Pausch, but the promise of CS was about to change drastically. By the time my senior year at CMU rolled around, I had completed a successful internship at Pittsburgh area design firm MAYA Design, and they had expressed interest in offering me
- [Anatomy of a Good Day](https://www.cherylplatz.com/anatomy-of-a-good-day/) - It was a 13-hour return to the world for me today after a little over a week recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. Recovery was slow going; the drugs were rough, and the intubation sore throat bad enough that I’m still not on a full solid diet yet. But at the end of my long day,
- [The Memorable Patient](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-memorable-patient/) - A few days ago, I had arthroscopic knee surgery to remove the two screws that have been holding my shattered kneecap together since March 10th of last year. Hopefully, by doing this, I can jumpstart a final phase of recovery and move me out of the temporarily disabled category. Over the past year or so,
- [Muppets, Technology and Me: Part 2](https://www.cherylplatz.com/muppets-technology-and-me-part-2/) - ...Continued from "Muppets, Technology, and Me: Part 1" I fell permanently down the theme park rabbit hole when I turned 16. Just a few weeks after my birthday, my mother told me about an ad she had seen in the paper for auditions at Sesame Place. Auditions? To perform? I was already desperate to get
- [IGNITE: Brighter Future Fundraising Walk](https://www.cherylplatz.com/ignite-brighter-future-fundraising-walk/) - I write about IGNITE a good deal because it's a cause close to my heart, and I also serve as an executive board member for the organization. It's a difficult time in our history - we were founded with funding from the Seattle School District as a nonprofit organization, and due to educational funding cuts
- [Networking Isn't A Dirty Word](https://www.cherylplatz.com/networking-isnt-a-dirty-word/) - On Tuesday I had the distinct pleasure of moderating the well-attended Women in Technology panel at Microsoft TechEd 2011. The topic was networking (well, the topic was a long run-on sentence that boiled down to "networking"), and our panelists - Mary Jo Foley, Amy Barzdukas, and Betsy Speare - shared their own personal tips for networking
- [Closure, or lack thereof](https://www.cherylplatz.com/closure-or-lack-thereof/) - The act of closing a show is a difficult one. On a scripted show, you know that you'll never be able to recreate these experiences. Sets are destroyed, scripts and rights reverted to their owners, and the carefully memorized knowledge just... disappears. If you've ever read or seen Steven King's "Langoliers", I liken the sensation
- [Avocational Hazards](https://www.cherylplatz.com/avocational-hazards/) - av·o·ca·tion [av-uh-key-shuhn] : something a person does in addition to a principal occupation, especially for pleasure; hobby: Our doctor's avocation is painting. My avocation is acting, and it tends to generate a fair bit of curiosity and mystery for others. It's amazing what preconceived notions some folks have about the craft! Here, based on the
- [A Cloudy Day in Space](https://www.cherylplatz.com/a-cloudy-day-in-space/) - Last night was the second of six performances in our run of "Where No Man Has Gone Before", a Star Trek original series-themed improv show. When we go to the audience for suggestions, the one that tends to be most impactful is the suggestion of a thing for the alien planet to worship. Last night,
- [Life in the Theatre: "Where No Man Has Gone Before"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/life-in-the-theatre-where-no-man-has-gone-before/) - In an earlier post, The Secret Starfleet, I went into detail about my experience on this production and what it started revealing about others around me. Now, we're just a few days from opening night. At our Tuesday rehearsal last week, I laughed so hard that my abs hurt afterwards. I've seen Kirk fighting a
- [Life in the Theatre: My latest project, "All I Ever Wanted"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/life-in-the-theatre-my-latest-project-all-i-ever-wanted/) - On Friday, April 22, I will be opening my next theatrical run - a world premiere play called "All I Ever Wanted". If you're in the Seattle area, please consider joining us - we'll be performing Fri/Sat/Sun (excluding Easter) through May 8th. All performances are in TPS Theatre 4, which is on the 4th floor
- [Computer Engineer Barbie: How Interaction Design can entice a new generation of women](https://www.cherylplatz.com/computer-engineer-barbie-how-interaction-design-can-entice-a-new-generation-of-women/) - When I heard the news that I'd been accepted as a lightning round speaker at IxDA's Interaction '11 conference, I was delighted and just a bit terrified. I'm very passionate about the subject, but had no idea whether it would resonate in a sea of interesting design theories and case studies. In short, my theory
- [Video from Opti-Pessimism keynote: Interaction Latin America 2019](https://www.cherylplatz.com/video-from-opti-pessimism-keynote-interaction-latin-america-2019/) - Cheryl is delighted to share after long last the video from Cheryl’s very well-received keynote presentation at the largest design conference in the Southern Hemisphere, Interaction Latin America. Her 2019 “Opti-Pessimism” keynote inspired many local designers to start thinking and talking about their “run!” moments. Opti-Pessimism is one of the many frameworks covered in Cheryl’s
- [New Keynote: Carousel of Progress](https://www.cherylplatz.com/new-keynote-carousel-of-progress/) - Cheryl is pleased to share that her newest keynote, "The Carousel of Progress: Adapting to a (Post) Pandemic World" is now available for bookings. First presented online for CHIFOO (Computer Human Interaction Forum of Oregon), recordings are only available privately at this time and the material is new to all other audiences. See the original
- [Design Beyond Devices at UX Salon: Video now available](https://www.cherylplatz.com/design-beyond-devices-at-ux-salon-video-now-available/)
- [RADIO: Cheryl on BBC Radio 4 - The Digital Human](https://www.cherylplatz.com/radio-cheryl-on-bbc-radio-4-the-digital-human/) - Should our digital devices be coded female? What is the impact to our psyche and our society of a generation observing predominantly female digital assistants inside and outside the home? And what does etiquette and politeness mean in a digital world, anyway? Cheryl was honored to be included as one of the experts on BBC
- [Cheryl is a Verified Author on Medium!](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cheryl-is-a-verified-author-on-medium/) - Verifications may be so 2022 on Twitter, but we're delighted to share that Cheryl has now been designated a Verified Author on Medium. My Medium author verification is particularly meaningful as I owe quite a few major career moments to connections and conversations started by my work on Medium. I was honored to have my
- [New Medium Post: Alexa's Sub-Prime Era](https://www.cherylplatz.com/new-medium-post-alexas-sub-prime-era/) - Next up on Cheryl's Medium publication - a look at the cooling wave of digital assistants amid a stalling economy, and what it may mean for voice and multimodal design as an industry. Read this story (unmetered link) Highlight from the article So what’s changed? What led to the brutal layoffs of thousands of passionate
- [PODCAST: Wordbirds -- How Consistent Content powers Speech Recognition & UX w/ Cheryl Platz](https://www.cherylplatz.com/podcast-wordbirds-how-consistent-content-powers-speech-recognition-ux-w-cheryl-platz/) - New year, new podcasts! We start out with an interview focused on content design - what role does it play in voice design, and what role has it been playing in Cheryl's work in the video game industry? Hear some unique stories from Cheryl's past game design roles and contrast them with her leadership role
- [Launching "Giving Voice to Your Voice Designs"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/launching-giving-voice-to-your-voice-designs/) - I had the extreme pleasure of debuting my interactive workshop on voice user interface design, "Giving Voice to Your Voice Designs," at Interaction '17 in New York this February. Following the successful launch of this workshop, I am now accepting inquiries about teaching the course in the US or abroad. It's an excellent choice for
- [New Portfolio Entry: Echo Look](https://www.cherylplatz.com/new-portfolio-entry-echo-look/) - I am beyond delighted to formally share here that my "secret" Amazon project has finally been announced to the public and is making it into people's homes. In 2014, I was hired into Amazon as employee #3 on the Echo Look project. The Echo Look is a first-of-its-kind home photography device that allows customers to
- [Spring 2019 Appearances](https://www.cherylplatz.com/spring-2019-appearances/) - It's been a long year! 2018 brought an exciting speaking calendar on two continents, including Interaction 18 in Lyon; a workshop at Microsoft's Office AI Design Days; a workshop and talk at UX London 2018; DEVit 360 in Thessaloniki, Greece; UX Week in San Francisco; a private workshop at BMW in Munich; a workshop and
- [I'm returning to the Games industry: Director of UX at Riot Games](https://www.cherylplatz.com/im-returning-to-the-games-industry-director-of-ux-at-riot-games/) - I left the video game industry in 2007 after shipping over half a dozen titles on every platform you can think of - PC, Game Boy, Nintendo DS, Xbox, PlayStation, GameCube... I was ready for new challenges. I didn't expect the journey to take me so far afield of gaming - from enterprise software to
- [Design Beyond Devices is available for purchase worldwide!](https://www.cherylplatz.com/design-beyond-devices-is-available-for-purchase-worldwide/) - Now available: Design Beyond Devices Available now from Rosenfeld Media and all major online booksellers from author and renowned user experience designer Cheryl Platz: Design Beyond Devices: Creating Multimodal, Cross-Device Experiences. This groundbreaking book provides designers, product managers, entrepreneurs, and engineers an end-to-end manual for envisioning and executing on experiences that break beyond the boundaries
- [Memories of Game Dev: Playtest Notes #1](https://www.cherylplatz.com/memories-of-game-dev-playtest-notes-1/) - Every once in a while, I come across a notebook with a series of scribbles from my past in game development. Playtesting one's own game and taking notes was a daily occurrence, but the notes provide a little burst of humor when taken out of context. I've decided that I'll share these out-of-context gems here
- [Secret Puzzler](https://www.cherylplatz.com/secret-puzzler/) - I have a confession to make: I spent all weekend at the office. Well, technically AN office, not MY office. It's a ritual that happens several times a year, run by different groups but always a familiar rhythm: groups of geeky folks organize themselves into teams and spend the entire day/weekend inside solving brainteasers and
- [My Africa Diaries: Swahili for Westerners](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-africa-diaries-swahili-for-westerners/) - Kenya is most definitely a deeply multilingual community – though they’ve embraced English as a national language due to their colonial heritage, they still boast Swahili as the national language. Residents comfortably switch between the two when speaking with each other. Most locals in the tourism industry will be happy to teach you a handful
- [Thoughts on "Muppets Most Wanted"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/thoughts-on-muppets-most-wanted/) - I've already established that the Muppets are pretty important in my life. I was happy when Disney bought the Muppets (finally) so that they could come out of retirement. Sure, I knew it probably meant more Muppets in advertising, but hell, that's how they started so it's hardly unprecedented. We went to see Muppets Most
- [Miyazaki's Last Great Premiere: "The Wind Rises"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/miyazakis-last-great-premiere-the-wind-rises/) - We finally got around to seeing Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Wind Rises” on Thursday night. As Miyazaki’s last film, there was quite a lot of pressure on it from our perspective – we hadn’t read much about the plot, but we’re big enough Miyazaki fans that Catbus was part of our wedding theme. Up front, our
- [Channel Not Found](https://www.cherylplatz.com/channel-not-found/) - I can still remember when the TiVo interface was a beautiful creature of simplicity, a thing to be emulated and learned from. They accomplished so much with a simple directional control. But the TiVo - and all modern DVR/interactive guide systems - were designed for a different scale of television. A world where each network
- [One Month with the One](https://www.cherylplatz.com/one-month-with-the-one/) - (Disclaimer: I am a Microsoft employee. However, these opinions are my own.) It's been about a month and change since we resolved the myriad A/V issues and got our Xbox One added to the entertainment center. The best answer I have for people asking what I think is simply "potential". The automatic recognition of different
- [A Beginner's UX Reading List](https://www.cherylplatz.com/a-beginners-ux-reading-list/) - Over the course of a year, I talk to hundreds of students and young professionals interested in the field of UX and looking to start a journey through reading. Three notes: 1. For those looking to pursue this as a career change, I will caution that books won't be enough - most design jobs require
- [Wizard Photos](https://www.cherylplatz.com/wizard-photos/) - My new camera is no Muggle camera. Pictures have always been a big deal in my family, and as my memory is a bit suggestible I very much value having the physical record of my adventures. Particularly because we tend to travel a great deal. I had terrible luck with digital cameras early on -
- [Weightless](https://www.cherylplatz.com/weightless/) - I threw out my scale today. I'd LIKE to say that it was some sort of grand New Year's statement breaking free from an image-conscious culture. ...But in reality, the battery died this morning and it's a super old relic left by an exboyfriend years ago. I just need one that's prettier and easier to
- [2013 in Review](https://www.cherylplatz.com/2013-in-review/) - It's been pretty quiet here on my blog in 2013, as it will go down in my personal history as the year I got married (on September 29, 2013). I'll blog about the wedding separately once we've got video and official photos, but it was a whirlwind as you might expect (and we were even
- [Keeping Our Shit Together](https://www.cherylplatz.com/keeping-our-shit-together/) - “And I thought, well, Cheryl’s someone who has her shit together!” This was a statement uttered by a mentee of mine when kicking off a conversation a few weeks ago. And though it was meant as a compliment, my brain rebooted in a moment of cognitive dissonance. “You really have your shit together.” Why do
- [Crosspost: "What Is UX Design" (Huffington Post)](https://www.cherylplatz.com/crosspost-what-is-ux-design-huffington-post/) - I haven't spoken about it formally here, but I'm honored to be part of one of the featured mentorship pairings in the Huffington Post's women in STEM mentoring initiative. As part of that relationship, we were asked to provide an intro to user experience design for folks following the program. "We are the people working
- [There's No "Stop" in "Reply All"](https://www.cherylplatz.com/theres-no-stop-in-reply-all/) - Back when I worked at Electronic Arts, one unfortunate and apparently logic-impaired soul was seeking information about the URL for our 401K plan with Charles Schwab. There are a number of ways one might get this information... internal websites, emailing HR, asking a coworker. Or the reams of paperwork they'd foist on us during every
- [Hair Warfare](https://www.cherylplatz.com/hair-warfare/) - During the month of January, four different gentlemen made comments about having difficulty recognizing me due to my varying hairstyles. “I was looking for you from the back of the theatre but since your hair is always different I couldn’t find you.” “When we continue meetings over multiple days, it would help if everyone wore
- [Blood Discrimination](https://www.cherylplatz.com/blood-discrimination/) - I've posted before about my adventures with hemachromatosis, and my negative experiences with the Puget Sound Blood Center. Things since the last post hadn't improved tremendously, but I still went (out of my way) to perform my therapeutic phlebotomies there since it was contributing healthy blood to the public blood supply. Now, normally, when I
- [Losing My Nintendo](https://www.cherylplatz.com/losing-my-nintendo/) - For most of my gaming life, I was a Nintendo girl (and a PC girl, but those are other stories.) Our first real gaming console was the Atari 2600, which was loved but ultimately met an untimely demise when my brothers left it on for too long. Alas, poor Atari. We hardly knew ye. My
- [The Friends You've Only Sort of Met](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-friends-youve-only-sort-of-met/) - I'm squarely in the middle of the pack of the Internet. I'm not famous and never will be, but I've been around a fair bit and have worked in a number of places, so there are many social networking connections to manage. After conventions and performances, I sometimes see a spike in friend requests or
- [Delusions of Glamour](https://www.cherylplatz.com/delusions-of-glamour/) - Last night, an audience member approached me in our theatre's lobby after my performance in TheatreSports. "Hey there... you see my husband standing over there?" [She indicated a tall bald man leaning on a railing across the room.] "He said you really remind him of Molly Shannon. I told him he should tell you, but
- [My Camera Has More Fun Than I Do](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-camera-has-more-fun-than-i-do/) - I remember going to a wedding as a kid back in the late 80s or early 90s and finding myself even then perplexed by the videographers' jarring omnipresence. It seemed that no one at the event could see the event unfolding for the obstructions by those folks recording the moments for “posterity”. Even then, at
- [Blue Water Isn't Blue?](https://www.cherylplatz.com/blue-water-isnt-blue/) - It’s amazing the amount of information we use and take for granted each day, unconsciously. Our minds adapt and file little shortcuts all around us to make living that much more effortless. Until one of those “truths” changes, and we’re snapped rather rudely into full consciousness like waking up in the middle of the night.
- [Bag Lady](https://www.cherylplatz.com/bag-lady/) - Sometimes, people ask me "How do you manage such a busy life?" Strangely enough, it seems that the logistical side of getting the life-related STUFF from point A to point B is one of the trickiest things to manage. (Aside from the whole triple-booked problem, of course - this weekend's performance schedule is impossible without
- [My Seven-Year Itch](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-seven-year-itch/) - In the state of Washington, they make you get your license plates replaced every seven years. For the reflective coating, ostensibly. Even if you don’t want to change your plate numbers (they make you pay extra to keep the same number, which I did since my memory is a fragile, easily confused beast.) Perhaps some
- [My Own Worst Enemy](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-own-worst-enemy/) - Wednesday was a day fraught with thinking. 2 hours of high-level design strategizing and brainstorming, and 50 minutes of 1:1 conversation with my GM. 3 hours of new information dumped into my head, before lunch, which all at once causes things to go a bit random in my mind. So much to process! As I
- [Memories of Game Dev: The N-Gage](https://www.cherylplatz.com/memories-of-game-dev-the-n-gage/) - Before coming to Microsoft and working on server software, I shipped quite a few video games during my time with Electronic Arts and Griptonite Games. Game development is a fickle mistress. Yes, you're working on the things that you love, but slowly working on them begins to make you hate them. Also, the hours. But
- [Location Twister](https://www.cherylplatz.com/location-twister/) - I live 3 miles from work. Strangely, I also lived 3 miles from my previous employer in the Seattle area and I didn’t have to move when switching to Microsoft; that was just serendipity. But I’ve learned via experience that it is extremely important to my quality of life to have a minimal commute. Sure,
- [2011 By the Bullets](https://www.cherylplatz.com/2011-by-the-bullets/) - Looking back at 2011 as it can be quantified into neat little bulleted lists... Cities visited: Boulder, CO (first time) Las Vegas Atlanta, GA (first time) Burbank, CA (twice) Orlando, FL New York City Yardley, PA (twice) Conferences/Conventions:
- [The Old Normal](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-old-normal/) - As of November 1st, I officially lost my status as Temporarily Disabled Barbie. (At least according to the State of Washington.) When I had my accident in 2010 – a fall that shattered my kneecap into 5 pieces –they reconstructed the kneecap using two screws. Two screws that, on the x-rays, looked like Home Depot
- [My Phone Home](https://www.cherylplatz.com/my-phone-home/) - I love my Windows Phone 7. Of course, you might assume that I’m biased because I work for Microsoft. And maybe you’d be right, except that I’m very picky about my phone and won’t use something that’s crap. When I started at Microsoft, I tried Windows Phone 6.5 in the form of an HTC Touch
- [Dear Departed Icons](https://www.cherylplatz.com/dear-departed-icons/) - Hey kids, let’s sit down and read a bedtime story! Once upon a time, we made photorealistic representations of everything we wanted to do on the computer. I know, right? Human ingenuity is so… plucky, cramming all that info into a 16x16 space. Over time, a funny thing has happened, though – most of the
- [Balancing Work and Life - Without A Net](https://www.cherylplatz.com/balancing-work-and-life-without-a-net/) - While you might not know it by simply looking at my post count, I actually enjoy my day job (as a Senior UX Designer at Microsoft) just as much as I enjoy my evening-and-weekends life as an actress. It's not just a day job, it's my career. No running away to join the proverbial circus
- [Can't Stop the Train](https://www.cherylplatz.com/cant-stop-the-train/) - There’s a massive sense of inevitability in the middle of a performance for an audience. No matter what you do, you can’t really keep the scene from moving forward, even if you have a very good reason for it. Though I suppose it’s technically feasible to do so, it’s as if we’re driven by magic
- [Stage Brain](https://www.cherylplatz.com/stage-brain/) - A few weeks ago, I walked onto the Intiman Playhouse stage to emcee TheatreSports for the first time at that location. (I’ve performed there several times, but hadn’t MCed yet.) I had done all of the requisite emcee preparation – sound check with the crew, etc – and with my whistle and stopwatch around my
- [When Free Time Isn't Free](https://www.cherylplatz.com/when-free-time-isnt-free/) - Until recently, I had been looking forward to auditioning for the Microsoft Theatre Troupe’s fall production of “Sweeney Todd”. MSTT is all-volunteer – Microsoft covers all production costs, and all revenues go to charity (one is chosen for each production.) I was certain it’d be a huge time commitment, but with rehearsals practically across the
- [Up in the Air](https://www.cherylplatz.com/up-in-the-air/) - It’s easy to take the miracle of flight for granted when living in the United States. We’re such a big country that more modest means of transportation like trains and cars can’t get us from one end to the other in a timely fashion, so air travel ends up becoming rather embedded in our culture.
- [Full Circle](https://www.cherylplatz.com/full-circle/) - As a performer and public speaker, it has been a long time since a performance situation or venue truly intimidated me. Several thousand people watching me dance in a theme park parade? No. (Even while wearing dreadful bowling costumes.) Six hundred women at a Microsoft technical conference? No. (Besides, we had microphones.) A 1500 person
- [Demand vs. Supply](https://www.cherylplatz.com/demand-vs-supply/) - It was a gorgeous day in Redmond today, and it was an unlikely Saturday where I had the day to myself. I eventually headed out to shop for a few hours - with the life I've been living lately, shopping in person is rare indeed. And if you're going to shop at the Redmond mall,
- [The Magic of Community](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-magic-of-community/) - (To my visitors from the Carnegie Mellon homepage, many welcomes! Would love to hear from you if you have questions or comments.) Over the past few years, I've had the honor of participating in a unique program at Microsoft in the Server & Tools Division - the STB Women's Leadership Council. Our chairwoman Betsy Speare
- [This Trailer Not Yet Rated](https://www.cherylplatz.com/this-trailer-not-yet-rated/) - On Friday night, I had the pleasure of visiting a theatre in Seattle's Capitol Hill district that specializes in classic films and features in-theatre beverage and dinner service. I'd never been there before, but my boyfriend brought to my attention the fact that they were hosting a Muppet Movie singalong. Beer + Muppets + singing?
- [The Iron Maiden](https://www.cherylplatz.com/being-the-iron-maiden/) - Yesterday, I went in for a monthly phlebotomy (ie bloodletting) as ordered by my doctor. You see, I have a genetic condition called Hereditary Hemachromatosis, which was diagnosed in 2008. (It surfaced about 30 years earlier than normal for women). My "treatment" is to go to the blood center and donate blood, sometimes more frequently
- [Amazonian Anthropology](https://www.cherylplatz.com/amazonian-anthropology/) - Recently, I was watching a Twitter conversation where the querent was trying to figure out how to trace their residential history for a credit questionnaire. A reply came in from across the Internet(s): Why don't you just check your Amazon account history? Giving it some thought, it's rather remarkable what history can be found in
- [The Secret Starfleet](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-secret-starfleet/) - I've mentioned it in passing, but I'm in rehearsals for a full-length improvised comedic parody of the Original Star Trek series. It's called "Where No Man Has Gone Before," and we open June 23rd. (If you're in the greater Seattle/Tacoma area or just interested in current and future performance info, you can "Like" us on
- [Church Bells, Evolved](https://www.cherylplatz.com/church-bells-evolved/) - For centuries, long before watches were a commodity, the bells chiming from churches and other buildings to mark the passage of another hour were probably a staple of life. They are quite distracting nowadays, but I imagine they faded into the background once upon a time, subconsciously informing people of the time without conscious intervention
- ["Women in Technology" Panel now available online!](https://www.cherylplatz.com/women-in-technology-panel-now-available-online/) - If you have been following my adventures and are interested in listening to the panel I moderated at TechEd 2011 this past Tuesday, look no further. The slides and audio are now available for streaming or for download in video or audio form. Enjoy, and please do leave comments and questions if they come up!
- [In the Q&A Moment](https://www.cherylplatz.com/in-the-qa-moment/) - As I've begun presenting my talk to multiple groups of people, I've found the Q&A sessions particularly interesting. I think that 10 years ago, before my improv training and before my experience with Microsoft's old-school Precision Questioning tactics, such discussions would have been a nightmare for me. It's been very enlightening to see what perspective
- [Evolving the Message](https://www.cherylplatz.com/evolving-the-message/) - This past year has marked the beginning of what I suspect will be a long journey for me (and hopefully others!) to improve the state of STEM education in the country with a sort of grassroots approach. There are many different demographics to focus on, and I've chosen to focus on what I know and what
- [TechEd 2011: Moderating the Women in Technology Panel](https://www.cherylplatz.com/teched-2011-women-in-technology-panel-wit01/) - Fresh off the heels of my appearance at this week's Seattle IxDA "Women in Design" event, I have another appearance to share: next Tuesday, I'm honored to be moderating the annual Women in Technology panel at Microsoft TechEd 2011 in Atlanta, GA. https://northamerica.msteched.com/topic/details/WIT01 TechEd 2011: WIT01 WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY LUNCHEON Developing a Strong Support Network: The Key
- [Advice from Zombie Marie Curie, via XKCD](https://www.cherylplatz.com/advice-from-zombie-marie-curie-via-xkcd/) - https://xkcd.com/896/ Zombie Marie Curie: "You don't become great by trying to be great. You become great by wanting to do something, and then doing it so hard that you become great in the process. So don't try to be the next me... just remember that if you want to do this stuff, you're not alone.
- [On the other side of the field trip](https://www.cherylplatz.com/ignite-on-the-other-side-of-the-field-trip/) - Another key part of the Seattle-area IGNITE experience is the class field trip to work locations. A few weeks ago, I got to participate in a panel for an IGNITE class here on a field trip. Around here, Microsoft is the most frequent destination of choice - we can pull out all the stops with
- [Medical Memories](https://www.cherylplatz.com/medical-memories/) - It's been a bit silent here over the past few days because I was going through the ordeal surrounding my very first colonoscopy. I won't go into the details here, because that's most certainly not why you came. Suffice it to say that I do not have colon cancer as we feared might be the
- [Seattle IxDA - Women in Design event](https://www.cherylplatz.com/seattle-ixda-women-in-design-event/) - I'm delighted to announce that I will be speaking at the next Seattle meeting of the Interaction Design Association! "Women in Design" Wednesday, May 11 University of Washington Campus Electrical Engineering building, room 105 7:30 PM - doors open at 7PM Flyer: click here I'll be delivering an updated/expanded version of my Computer Engineer Barbie
- [The Accessibility of the Physical Universe](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-accessibility-of-the-physical-universe/) - Having an injury certainly opens your eyes to what others have been dealing with for lifetimes. The friend I mentioned in my earlier post about pain medication has (after 2 months) returned to the office for short periods of time. Today, we ended up talking and expressing our mutual shock at just how HEAVY the doors
- [The past our parents don't have](https://www.cherylplatz.com/the-past-our-parents-dont-have/) - I got a LinkedIn request the other day: "I think I have a funny photo of you next to my Van de Graaf machine when you were an intern at MAYA Design." I actually laughed out loud when I read this. I can totally remember the day I was playing with the Van de Graaf
- [On Service Design: Pain Medication](https://www.cherylplatz.com/on-service-design-pain-medication/) - Service design is another branch of interaction design, like user experience, that focuses on a holistic view of systems that may or may not involve technology. In simple terms, service design seeks to improve how humans interact with a service or provider. While many of us have encountered narcotic painkillers like Vicodin or Percocet (hello, spambots) for use after
- [Demystifying Job Shadows](https://www.cherylplatz.com/demystifying-job-shadows/) - They're a rather mysterious concept out of context - after all, I never did a job shadow when I was growing up or even when I was in college. The closest I ever got was visiting my dad's engineering firm, running around, playing on the computers and being AMAZED at all the choices of beverages
- [Starting the conversation](https://www.cherylplatz.com/starting-the-conversation/) - I've resisted formal blogging for years now; the problem is and has always been that my interests are so diverse that I find it impossible to pick just one. I'm all over the Internet in other ways - Twitter and my website, various communities, and a long trail of performance websites with photos of me

## Pages

- [Creative Director, Author, Storyteller, and Keynote Speaker](https://www.cherylplatz.com/) - Cheryl Platz is the best-kept secret in tech and creative leadership: with an impact on billions of customers, she's probably impacted a product you've used.
- [FAQ](https://www.cherylplatz.com/faq/) - Frequently Asked Questions Thanks for leading with curiosity about me and my background! I can't always scale to answering questions 1:1, so here are many of the answers to questions I see the most often. Read on for FAQs in outreach, mentoring, performance, and game industry topics. Outreach and Mentoring Getting In (And Out) Of
- [Press: Interviews and Podcasts](https://www.cherylplatz.com/press/) - Learn more about Cheryl and her work via interviews, major media appearances, and podcasts on varied topics from product design to video game dev and acting.
- [Career Overview](https://www.cherylplatz.com/designer/) - I’m Cheryl Platz, a design leader, author, teacher, and innovator with a unique career that spans enterprise productivity, information technology, consumer products, video games, and natural user interfaces like multimodal and conversational UI. My avocational work in design education and improvisational theater means I also bring significant strength in storytelling, process innovation, facilitation, and organizational influence to
- [Keynote Speaker, Host, and Facilitator](https://www.cherylplatz.com/speaker/) - Ideaplatz: The Road to Great Design. Cheryl has been teaching multi-disciplinary audiences about design, technology, ethics, storytelling, and resilience via her design education company Ideaplatz, LLC since 2017. Her talks and workshops have appeared on five continents and in over a dozen countries. Get a Free Quote Cheryl Platz is an experienced and world-renowned keynote
- [Opti-Pessimism](https://www.cherylplatz.com/opti-pessimism/) - Learn about the design ethics framework introduced by world-renowned designer and author Cheryl Platz that will help you launch responsible, successful products
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- [Actor: Film, Stage, and Voiceover](https://www.cherylplatz.com/actor/) - from improv comedy to mechwarriors Cheryl's decades as a professional performer have encompassed a wide variety of talents and engagements. She is open to new representation and opportunities for her avocational work in the performing arts. Contact her via email for booking inquiries. Improvisational comedy and drama (stage and broadcast) Voice acting: Video games and
- [Contact Cheryl Platz](https://www.cherylplatz.com/contact-cheryl-platz/) - Get in touch with Cheryl using this form, or at info at cherylplatz.com. Cheryl on Socials LinkedIn BlueSky TikTok Twitch Instagram Youtube Ideaplatz on Socials Youtube Bluesky
- [Home](https://www.cherylplatz.com/home/) - Cheryl Platz, author of Design Beyond Devices, is a world-renowned design leader, speaker, and actor charting new paths in design, technology, and storytelling.

## Posts

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