of laughing with my friends.

我永遠忘不了

I'll never forget the sound

與朋友相聚時的歡笑聲。

of my mother's voice right before I fell asleep.

我永遠忘不了

And I'll never forget the comforting sound of water

入睡前媽媽的聲音。

trickling down a stream.

我永遠不會忘記

Imagine my fear, pure fear,

那讓人寬心涓涓而下的溪流聲音。

when, at the age of 10,

想像一下，我十歲那年的恐懼、 純然的恐懼。

I was told I was going to lose my hearing.

我被告知將會失去聽覺。

And over the next five years,

在往後五年，

it progressed until I was classified as profoundly deaf.

我的聽力漸漸減弱， 最後被分類為極度嚴重的聽障。

But I believe that losing my hearing

但我相信，失去了聽覺

was one of the greatest gifts I've ever received.

是我這一生最好的禮物。

You see, I get to experience the world in a unique way.

你看，我得用 獨特的方式來體驗世界。

And I believe that these unique experiences

而我相信， 這些殘障人士的獨特經驗

that people with disabilities have

可以幫助我們創造並 設計出更美好的世界，

is what's going to help us make and design a better world

讓所有人，不論健全或殘障 都能受益。

for everyone -- both for people with and without disabilities.

我曾是一位殘障人士的權利律師，

I used to be a disability rights lawyer,

長時間在執業，

and I spent a lot of my time focused on enforcing the law,

確保殘障人士的需要得到滿足。

ensuring that accommodations were made.

然後我必須迅速學習國際政策，

And then I had to quickly learn international policy,

因為我受邀從事有關於 《聯合國殘障人士權利公約》的工作。

because I was asked to work on the UN Convention

身為非政府組織的領袖，

that protects people with disabilities.

我花費大部分精力去說服別人

As the leader of the NGO there,

認同殘疾人士的各種能力。

I spent most of my energy trying to convince people

但這一路來，

about the capabilities of people with disabilities.

換了很多不同的工作，

But somewhere along the way,

我爸媽並不太開心我這樣換 ——

and after many career transitions

（笑聲）

that my parents weren't so happy about --

我無意中找到了答案，

(Laughter)

我相信這也許是更有效的工具

I stumbled upon a solution

可以解決世上一些重要的問題，

that I believe may be an even more powerful tool

不論問題是否關於殘障人士。

to solve some of the world's greatest problems,

這工具叫做「設計思考」。

disability or not.

設計思考是一個 創新和解決問題的過程，

And that tool is called design thinking.

總共有五個步驟。

Design thinking is a process for innovation and problem solving.

第一、定義問題並了解它的限制。

There are five steps.

第二、觀察人們 在真實生活中的情況，

The first is defining the problem

並感同身受他們的處境。

and understanding its constraints.

第三、激盪出各種想法 —— 愈多愈好、

The second is observing people in real-life situations

愈瘋狂愈好。

and empathizing with them.

第四、形成雛形： 盡可能收集你能找到的方案

Third, throwing out hundreds of ideas -- the more the better,

去模擬、測試，

the wilder the better.

並作改善。

Fourth, prototyping: gathering whatever you can,

最後是實踐計劃，

whatever you can find,

確保你得出的方案是 持續可行的。

to mimic your solution, to test it

華倫·柏格說，「設計思考」 教導我們從旁觀察、

and to refine it.

重新構築、改善、試驗，

And finally, implementation:

以及可能是最重要的：

ensuring that the solution you came up with is sustainable.

要學會問蠢問題。

Warren Berger says that design thinking teaches us to look sideways,

設計思考者相信 每個人都有創意。

to reframe, to refine, to experiment

他們相信，集合不同專業的人，

and, probably most importantly,

分享不同的觀點，

ask those stupid questions.

可以把這些觀點聚集起來，

Design thinkers believe that everyone is creative.

形成一種新的架構。

They believe in bringing people from multiple disciplines together,

設計思考是如此有效 和多功能的工具，

because they want to share multiple perspectives

它適用於各個行業。

and bring them together and ultimately merge them

我看出，它有解決 我當時所面對的問題的潛力，

to form something new.

因此我決定重回校園，

Design thinking is such a successful and versatile tool

取得社會設計碩士。

that it has been applied in almost every industry.

這是一門研究如何透過設計 來改善世界的學問。

I saw the potential that it had for the issues I faced,

我在攻讀碩士時，

so I decided to go back to school

愛上了木工工藝。

and get my master's in social design.

但我很快發現，

This looks at how to use design to create positive change in the world.

我欠缺了一些能力。

While I was there,

就是，當你在使用工具時，

I fell in love with woodworking.

在它踫到你之前，

But what I quickly realized

就是當木材或工具卡住， 跳起來打到你之前，

was that I was missing out on something.

會發出聲響。

As you're working with a tool,

但我聽不到聲音。

right before it's about to kick back at you --

因此我決定，

which means the piece or the tool jumps back at you --

何不嘗試解決這個問題？

it makes a sound.

我的解決方法是一副安全眼鏡，

And I couldn't hear this sound.

它在工具產生高音變化時，

So I decided,

會用視覺提示的方式 來警告使用者，

why not try and solve it?

讓使用者在聽到之前 就能覺察到。

My solution was a pair of safety glasses

為甚麼之前的工具設計者 從未想過？

that were engineered to visually alert the user

（笑聲）

to pitch changes in the tool,

有兩個原因：一、我是個新手，

before the human ear could pick it up.

未受專門技術或傳統觀念限制。

Why hadn't tool designers thought of this before?

二、我失聰。

(Laughter)

我對世界的獨特體驗 有助於我解決問題。

Two reasons: one, I was a beginner.

而當我投入時， 我會不斷地為殘疾人士

I wasn't weighed down by expertise or conventional wisdom.

尋找更多的解決方法，

The second is: I was Deaf.

最後受到主流大眾的 擁戴的喜愛，

My unique experience of the world helped inform my solution.

不論他們殘疾與否。

And as I went on, I kept running into more and more solutions

這是個 OXO 馬鈴薯削皮器。

that were originally made for people with disabilities,

它原本是為 關節炎患者所設計，

and that ended up being picked up,

但因為手感舒服，人人都愛用。

embraced and loved by the mainstream,

簡訊：這功能原本是為 失聰人士所設計的。

disability or not.

結果，大家都超愛傳簡訊的。

This is an OXO potato peeler.

（笑聲）

It was originally designed for people with arthritis,

我開始思考：

but it was so comfortable, everybody loved it.

如果我們能把頭腦 轉換個方向？

Text messaging: that was originally designed for people who are Deaf.

若我們反常道而行， 先為殘疾人士設計會怎樣？

And as you know, everybody loves that, too.

如你所見， 當我們先為殘障人士設計時，

(Laughter)

我們經常會無意中發現

I started thinking:

這些設計不但適合不同的人，

What if we changed our mindset?

而且比一般設計還要優秀。

What if we started designing for disability first --

這讓我備受鼓舞，

not the norm?

因為這意味著，

As you see, when we design for disability first,

為殘疾人士所花費的心思 和設計上的調整

we often stumble upon solutions that are not only inclusive,

可以為創意及創新

but also are often better than when we design for the norm.

帶來更多的動力。

And this excites me,

這可以驅使我們的思維，

because this means that the energy it takes to accommodate someone

從心的改變及包容力不足的情況，

with a disability

轉變成能解決世上最大問題的 煉金魔術師。

can be leveraged, molded and played with

現在我也相信，

as a force for creativity and innovation.

殘障人士在設計思考的過程中， 很有潛質能成為設計師。

This moves us from the mindset of trying to change the hearts

我根本不知道，我從很小的時候

and the deficiency mindset of tolerance,

就已經是一位不斷地在 磨練自己技能的設計思考者，

to becoming an alchemist,

設計思考者 天生就是問題解決者。

the type of magician that this world so desperately needs

想像一下，你正在聆聽一段對話，

to solve some of its greatest problems.

而你只能理解 50% 的內容，

Now, I also believe

你不能請他們重複每個字，

that people with disabilities have great potential to be designers

否則他們會對你感到不耐煩。

within this design-thinking process.

所以幾乎在聽不懂的情況下，

Without knowing it, from a very early age,

我的解決方法就是， 把那些模糊不清的聲音，

I've been a design thinker, fine-tuning my skills.

也就是說話的節奏，

Design thinkers are, by nature, problem solvers.

轉變成為旋律，再加上 我讀到的唇語來綜合理解它們。

So imagine listening to a conversation

多年後，某人說 我的文章中有節奏，

and only understanding 50 percent of what is said.

那是因為我是用旋律 在體會對話。

You can't ask them to repeat every single word.

我也變得很會處理 失敗時的挫折。

They would just get frustrated with you.

（笑聲）

So without even realizing it,

這是說真的。

my solution was to take the muffled sound I heard,

我西班牙文的第一學期 取得 D 級，

that was the beat,

但我學到的是 當我重新站起來，

and turn it into a rhythm and place it with the lips I read.

重新調整過後，

Years later, someone commented that my writing had a rhythm to it.

最後還是可以成功的。

Well, this is because I experience conversations as rhythms.

同樣地，設計思考鼓勵人們失敗，

I also became really, really good at failing.

並且經常失敗，

(Laughter)

因為最後，你會成功的。

Quite literally.

世上很少偉大的發明創新

My first semester in Spanish, I got a D.

第一次就能成功。

But what I learned was that when I picked myself up

我在體育運動上也得到相同的教訓。

and changed a few things around,

我永遠不會忘記教練跟我媽媽說：

eventually, I succeeded.

「如果她沒有失去聽覺能力，

Similarly, design thinking encourages people to fail

她會入選國家隊。」

and fail often,

但教練和當時的我也不知道，

because eventually, you will succeed.

其實我失去聽力， 反倒幫助我擅長於運動。

Very few great innovations in this world

你想想，當你失去聽力， 你不單要調適你的行為，

have come from someone succeeding on the first try.

你也要調適你的感官。

I also experienced this lesson in sports.

舉個例子，

I'll never forget my coach saying to my mom,

我的視覺專注範圍增加了。

"If she just didn't have her hearing loss,

想像有一位足球員，向左側過來，

she would be on the national team."

而你就是我當時擔任的守門員，

But what my coach, and what I didn't even know at the time,

球向左側翼過來。

was that my hearing loss actually helped me excel at sports.

聽力正常的人差不多 有這樣的視線範圍。

You see, when you lose your hearing, not only do you adapt your behavior,

而我的優勢就是， 視線範圍比他們廣。

but you also adapt your physical senses.

所以我可以注意到那邊的球員，

One example of this

正不斷地移動過來。

is that my visual attention span increased.

我可以比較快注意到他們， 所以一旦傳球，

Imagine a soccer player, coming down the left flank.

我能調整位置，準備迎接射門。

Imagine being goalkeeper, like I was,

如你所見，

and the ball is coming down the left flank.

我幾乎這一生都在當 設計思考者。

A person with normal hearing would have the visual perspective of this.

我的觀察力經年累月地磨練， 能覺察其他人未能發現的東西。

I had the benefit of a spectrum this wide.

我需要不斷適應， 這使我擅於想像和解決問題。

So I picked up the players over here,

我經常必須在 受限的條件下完成工作。

that were moving about and coming down the field.

這也是設計師 經常要處理的問題。

And I picked them up quicker, so that if the ball was passed,

我最近到海地工作，

I could reposition myself and be ready for that shot.

設計思考者經常在 尋找極端情況，

So as you can see,

因為這樣可以激發出他們 設計出最好的作品。

I've been a design thinker for nearly all my life.

而海地—— 就像一場完美的風暴。

My observation skills have been honed so that I pick up on things

我和 300 位失聰人士 一起生活工作。

that others would never pick up on.

他們是在 2010 年地震後 遷居至此。

My constant need to adapt has made me a great ideator

但五年半後，

and problem solver.

那裡仍然沒有電力供應，

And I've often had to do this within limitations and constraints.

仍然沒有安全的用水，

This is something that designers also have to deal with frequently.

仍然沒有工作機會，

My work most recently took me to Haiti.

犯罪仍然猖獗，但無人被懲處。

Design thinkers often seek out extreme situations,

國際援助機構接續而來。

because that often informs some of their best designs.

但他們到來時

And Haiti -- it was like a perfect storm.

已有預定的解決方案，

I lived and worked with 300 Deaf individuals

他們並不打算實地觀察， 按照社區需求來提供服務。

that were relocated after the 2010 earthquake.

有一個組織提供他們山羊和小雞。

But five and a half years later,

但他們沒有意識到

there still was no electricity;

社區中的飢餓問題如此嚴重。

there still was no safe drinking water;

當失聰人士夜晚入睡時， 他們聽不到聲音。

there were still no job opportunities;

小偷會潛入他們的院子，

there was still rampant crime, and it went unpunished.

偷走這些小雞和山羊，

International aid organizations came one by one.

最後一隻也不剩。

But they came

現在，如果那個機構花時間

with pre-determined solutions.

觀察失聰人士，觀察他們的社群，

They didn't come ready to observe and to adapt

那機構便能意識到其問題。

based on the community's needs.

或許，他們就會得到解決方法，

One organization gave them goats and chickens.

例如提供類似太陽能燈的東西，

But they didn't realize

能照亮晚間圈養動物的地方，

that there was so much hunger in that community,

來確保牠們的安全。

that when the Deaf went to sleep at night and couldn't hear,

你不用成為設計思考者，

people broke into their yards and their homes

才能分享我今天跟各位分享的概念。

and stole these chickens and goats,

你有創作力。

and eventually they were all gone.

你就是個設計師 ——

Now, if that organization had taken the time

每一個人都是。

to observe Deaf people, to observe the community,

讓我們這些人幫助你。

they would have realized their problem

讓殘疾人士幫你看前顧後，

and perhaps they would have come up with a solution,

並在過程中，

something like a solar light,

解決重要的問題。

lighting up a secure pen to put them in at night

就這樣。謝謝各位。

to ensure their safety.

（掌聲）

You don't have to be a design thinker

to insert the ideas I've shared with you today.

You are creative.

You are a designer --

everyone is.

Let people like me help you.

Let people with disabilities help you look sideways,

and in the process,

solve some of the greatest problems.

That's it. Thank you.

(Applause)