TED: When we design for disability, we all benefit | Elise Roy

The speaker shares a personal journey of losing hearing and how it led to a unique perspective on the world. This perspective fueled a career in disability rights and design thinking, a process for innovation and problem-solving. The speaker highlights the benefits of designing for disability first, showcasing examples where solutions for disabilities became mainstream successes. The talk emphasizes the potential of people with disabilities in design thinking and shares a case study from Haiti, illustrating the importance of observing and adapting to community needs. The speaker concludes with a call to embrace creativity and design thinking to solve global challenges.

What did the speaker consider as one of the greatest gifts they received?

• Winning a sports championship

• Losing their hearing

• Becoming a lawyer

• Traveling the world

What is the first step in the design thinking process?

• Observing people

• Prototyping

• Implementation

• Defining the problem

What is a key belief of design thinkers according to the speaker?

• Only experts can innovate

• Everyone is creative

• Design is only for artists

• Innovation is expensive

Why did the speaker create safety glasses for woodworking?

• To alert users to pitch changes

• To improve vision

• To protect from dust

• To enhance style

What was the original purpose of the OXO potato peeler?

• For people with arthritis

• For professional chefs

• For children

• For left-handed users

What mindset shift does the speaker suggest for designing solutions?

• Designing for cost efficiency

• Designing for aesthetics

• Designing for disability first

• Designing for the majority

How did the speaker's hearing loss benefit them in sports?

• Improved hearing

• Increased visual attention span

• Faster running speed

• Better teamwork skills

What did international aid organizations fail to do in Haiti?

• Observe and adapt to community needs

• Offer medical aid

• Build schools

• Provide enough food

What did the speaker suggest could have helped protect the goats and chickens in Haiti?

• More food supplies

• A stronger fence

• Guard dogs

• A solar light for security

What does the speaker encourage people to do to solve global challenges?

• Follow traditional methods

• Focus on individual success

• Embrace creativity and design thinking

• Rely on technology