Shaun Wallace

From the moment we wake up to the moment we end our day, we use interfaces built out of the written word. Textual information remains now, as it has for centuries, the cornerstone of human information acquisition. The wide adoption of smartphone, tablets, e-readers and personal computers has shifted the bulk of this reading from inflexible paper to digital content. The control provided by digital displays over how visual information is presented to readers has the potential to improve reading for each and every reader, regardless of ability or diagnosis. This represents a profound shift in how we think about reading because text is no longer rendered immutable by writers, designers, or publishers at a single stage, and human-computer interaction research is key to realizing its potential. Readability research takes a fundamentally individual approach to what each reader needs. Each reader has their own individual needs. Meanwhile, adapting the written word to the individual reader has never been easier, and the goal of maximizing individual reading efficacy is increasingly attainable. No one discipline or field has all the tools or answers, and readability work is inherently interdisciplinary. The authors of this monograph include vision scientists, technology experts, educators, designers, typographers, and data scientists. Together they represent voices from academia, the tech industry, and non-profit institutions, driven by common goals to improve the reading interfaces of today. In this review, they provide a comprehensive introduction to interdisciplinary methodologies, tools, and materials required for readability research focused on the individual reader. They call on the HCI community to contribute to the growing understanding of readers’ needs; to study the interactions between text, user, and task; and to build the tools and interfaces needed to improve reading outcomes for all.

Born on the 2nd of June 1960 to Jamaican parents, Shaun is a Londoner born and bred, and has been a devoted Chelsea fan since 1967. From the age of 12, Shaun knew he wanted to be a barrister and was determined to make it. Despite one or two setbacks along the way, he finally managed to fulfil his childhood ambition when he was called to the bar in November 1984. He has been a Criminal Defence Advocate now for nearly 34 years, and has worked tirelessly on cases ranging from murder to money laundering to firearms to drug trafficking. Shaun has also regularly appeared on British television quiz shows such as Fifteen-To-One, The Weakest Link, Greed, and Are You an Egghead?. Shaun catapulted to national prominence and recognition when, on the 5th December 2004, he became the first black person to win the BBC's renowned Mastermind. Since 2009, he has become a household name, regularly appearing as The Dark Destroyer on the smash ITV hit teatime quiz show, The Chase. Read how Shaun's passions have helped turn him into the man he is today: staunchly just and fair, ruthless when he needs to be, kind, fun, and a fiercely loyal friend.