Abigail Sellen

Abigail Sellen is a British computer scientist known for her research in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), particularly focusing on the study of paper as a technology, ubiquitous computing, and the user experience of technologies. She has made significant contributions to understanding how people interact with information in both digital and physical forms.

Sellen's work often emphasizes qualitative research methods, including ethnographic studies and user-centered design approaches. Her research has explored the role of paper in everyday work practices, highlighting its flexibility, tangibility, and affordances that digital technologies often struggle to replicate. This research led to insights informing the design of digital systems that better support human activities.

She is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) and a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). She has held research positions at Xerox PARC and Microsoft Research Cambridge. Sellen has also been involved in advisory roles for various organizations and institutions related to technology and design. Her publications are widely cited within the HCI community and have influenced the design and development of numerous technologies.