Erin Friess received her PhD in Rhetoric and her MA in Professional Writing from Carnegie Mellon University. Her dissertation investigated how novice technical communicators used data gathered from user-centered research to support design decisions. Dr. Friess' current research interests include user-centered design, usability pedagogy, and computer-mediated communication. She is a member of the Society for Technical Communication and the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing. She enjoys watching Lost, crocheting, and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers with her husband.