Data Science & AI Lecture Series
Linters as Socio Technical Systems
Andrew McNutt
Linters as Socio Technical Systems
| When | Friday, January 23, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM (MT) |
|---|---|
| Where | WEB L112 |
Abstract
Interfaces—whether they are for data analysis, programming, or any other activities—exist within specific communities of practice. The norms and standards of those groups inscribe themselves in the form of those tools; implicitly driving what is and is not possible. In this talk I will explore how linters (a spell checker-like tool used in programming) can be used to interrogate this arrangement. In doing so I will describe recent and on-going efforts relating to application of linters to a variety of domains, including visualization, color palettes, and social media posts. Through this discussion, I will argue that using linters as a critical lens allows us to examine the technological world around us in a new light (offering new opportunities for research and design), and therein explore the values that we manifest in our tool design and selection.
Speaker
Andrew McNutt
Andrew McNutt is an assistant professor at University of Utah’s Kahlert School of Computing and Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute. His research lives in the union of human computer interaction, visualization, and programming interfaces. It considers topics like creative coding, domain-specific languages, theories of visualization, and critical theory. He completed his PhD at University of Chicago, and a Post Doc at University of Washington. His work is funded by the NSF and is a Seibel Foundation Scholar. His work has won awards at top visualization and HCI conferences.
Tags: human-centered computing society & policy visualization
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