Who is this guy with the “weird” name, anyway?
Let me tell you a little story — awww, c'mon, I'm a Viking; sagas are in my blood…

A few years ago, I saw the London concert of the pop group ABBA (they’re Swedish; who else would I see?!). I knew, going in, that the entire thing was "tech" — holograms of them — but after two minutes, it just didn't matter and I didn't care, one little bit. The entire experience was so well done, so seamless, so amazingly satisfying, that whether it was high-tech or a "real person" just wasn't important any more.

And that is exactly what I aim for, in every conversational design I create. Chatbots, voice bots, IVR, or just a nice hygge heart-to-heart by the fire, with a mug of gløgg or a pint of Guinness — it doesn't matter; it's the conversation that matters, so I make the machines talk like people talk.

So the journey to Conversation Design has been a long and winding road — but I love where the road has led. But who's been walking it, and who is he when he’s walking other roads?

As the “weird” name might suggest (it’s really not that bad; just say, “ale-GEAR”), I really am a Celtic Viking, descended from centuries of Norwegian and Irish ancestry. Each culture has a deep tradition of storytelling — different forms for different purposes, but equally rich and rewarding — and I lean into it, since it means I get to tease my friends about never being entirely sure which ones are made up on the spot and which ones are true-life stories from my childhood.

So, about those photos up there:

• I’m a biker, tattoos & all — retired from the road, but in your soul, you never really leave it behind.

• I'm a Corgi dad; that’s my little guy up top, with his duck — one of the few toys he hasn’t been able to destroy within minutes.

• I'm Canadian-American, native to the Pacific Northwest. The photo is a portion of Puget Sound, which is full of actual fjords like this one: Hood Canal. Almost an earthly version of Asgard itself, it’s a landscape that shapes you, influences how you think and how you relate to the world.

• I’m a former professional actor, musician, and singer in opera and musical theatre; that “curtain call” snapshot up there is from a show that was silly, absurd, and as much fun for us onstage as for the audience. I compose music (mostly choral or orchestral, but I’m drifting toward cabaret these days), because it brings me so much joy, and because I hope my music can do the same for others.

I love learning and I love sharing what I’ve learned — including the bizarre trivia that just seems to be an occupational hazard for a curious mind.

All of that feeds the work. The performer's instinct for timing and tone. The teacher's obsession with clarity. The composer’s ear for rhythm, and the lyricist’s ear for prosody. The biker's comfort with being the one who doesn't look or think like everybody else in the room.

It all ends up in the conversation, and if you’re ready to see how, let me guide you through your own Orðferð (“word journey”) — and if you’re unafraid of sounding like the Swedish Chef (possibly dissolving into helpless giggles), just think of the “ð” as “dth” and give it a go — you’ll be welcome on any Viking longship!