It has been around 9 months since I’ve been a part of the “Product Planning Team” here
at Dot. For the most part I worked on creating user scenarios or use cases for the Dot Pad.
Tech Fest exhibition was a very meaningful experience for me because it was my first
business trip abroad as well as the first time Dot Pad was unveiled in Australia.
Tech Fest is an assistive technology exhibition event hosted by RSB (Royal Society
for the Blind) located in Adelaide, Australia. During Tech Fest, many different companies presented a wide variety of assistive technology to visually impaired users which allowed them to experience these devices in person.
As a “Product Planning Team” staff, most of the work I’ve been doing was from behind the scenes. However, through this exhibition, it was a great experience being in front of the stage and presenting the Dot Pad to users through words and not manuals or texts.
It was a proud moment for me whenever I saw positive or surprised reactions from people
experiencing the Dot Pad for the first time. I really wanted to capture the moment and share everybody’s reactions to my fellow team members.
Since it was my first business trip and my first visit to Australia, I was full of passion and eagerness to show the Dot Pad as much as possible to a lot of people.
One thing that could’ve been better was that this was a short event. Exhibition lasted two days and the size of the event was quite small. I wished I was able to talk to more people during the event.
One particular visually impaired user was most memorable because she asked us “When
will the Dot Pad be available in Australia?” after trying out our Dot Pad numerous times.
Her voice was full of anticipation and expressed in excitement
“I would love to read numerous books, shop online, and look at maps using the Dot Pad!”.
It was a heart warming moment where all of us hoped Dot Pad will be readily available in
Australia soon.
During the RSB Tec Fest, each company was allowed 30 minutes of presentation in a separate meeting room. Our Dot Pad was scheduled for the last and final presentation!
(Saving the best for last!)
During the presentation, we had a moment where people passed our Dot Pad around to experience and feel the tactile graphics displayed on the Dot Pad. Some of the audience members were an Occupational Therapist (OT) and Orientation and Mobility Specialists (O&M).
One of the specialists shared “Tactile maps that can display layouts and blueprints of buildings on the Dot Pad will be really helpful for the vision impaired”. In that moment I displayed an example of a blueprint that my Product Planning Team and I prepared.
To us, this was just one example of the many different ideas, use cases, and user scenarios we have prepared. However, through OTs, O&Ms, and the visually impaired community, I realized that through this one use-case scenario it has the potential to become a new type of rehabilitation program and definitely a skill we need in the future.
After the presentation ended, one lady sitting at the front thanked us for making a product like Dot Pad and stated that she was holding back her tears. As soon as I heard this, I felt great meaning in the work I’m doing now.
Work was no longer something I had to do. It became a vision where we can truly change the world, care for each other, and bring joy to people. I became proud of the great work I am a part of.
RSB Techfest planted seeds of passion in my heart, and I am now more motivated to move forward with all these new ideas and feedback from the event.