Definitions

A glossary of terms I use frequently in my writing. These definitions help establish a shared vocabulary for discussing complex concepts around accessibility, AI, and human-centered technology.

B

Building Ladders

The practice of creating technology that helps people climb to expertise and capabilities previously out of reach. Unlike bridges that assume you can already walk their path, ladders meet you at your current understanding and let you ascend, rung by rung, adapting to your unique way of knowing rather than forcing you to adapt to them.

LaddersWallsEpistemological TranslationModality Translation

philosophy human-centered-tech AI agency

E

Epistemological Translation

The process of converting knowledge from one way of understanding (epistemology) to another, making information accessible across different cognitive frameworks and modes of perception.

Modality TranslationLaddersBuilding Ladders

AI accessibility translation philosophy

G

Glass Box

An approach to AI systems that prioritizes transparency, auditability, and human oversight. Unlike black box systems that hide their workings, glass box AI reveals its reasoning through structured outputs, scratch pads, and explicit decision steps that humans can inspect, understand, and modify.

Building LaddersHuman-in-the-LoopTransparencyAgency

AI transparency human-centered-tech automation trust

L

Ladders

Tools, patterns, and systems that help people climb to expertise and capabilities previously out of reach. Unlike traditional tools that require extensive prerequisites, ladders meet you at your current understanding and let you ascend, rung by rung, to heights that were inaccessible before.

Building LaddersWallsEpistemological TranslationModality Translation

AI human-centered-tech agency tools patterns

M

Modality Translation

The conversion of information from one sensory or cognitive mode to another, ensuring equivalent experiences across different ways of perceiving and processing information.

Epistemological TranslationLaddersBuilding LaddersGlass Box

accessibility translation UX inclusive-design