In spring 2024 I developed a fairly serious RSI in my hands and wrists. This makes it painful to type or do a lot of actions with them, and I am currently advised not to use them much while I recover. Obviously this is not convenient for someone who works with computers! Fortunately, there are accessibility technologies available that allow me to control my computer with a combination a voice commands, facial expressions and head movements. I'm currently using a combination of talon, cursorless, and built in mac accessibility tools at work.

1. Can you still code?

Yes! However it is a lot slower, and it's easier to do work that involves copying pasting and editing code than it is to write fully new code. The learning curve for coding by voice is harder than the rest of the software.

2. What does this change about how you work?

It means that I am slower than I was to respond in text, and that it's more laborious to do lengthy explanations in text, switch applications quickly and frequently, or use certain applications that do not have good accessibility features. It also means that it is more difficult for me to control my computer comfortably on voice calls, since other people's voices also would control the software that I usually used to navigate. Additionally, my typed messages are more likely to contain typos and words that are spoken homophones may occasionally be incorrect (eg no and know)

3. How can I make life a little easier for you while we work together?

It's very helpful if someone else is able to take notes during meetings, and then send those notes somewhere shared in slack where I can see them. It's also often easier for me to hop on a huddle to do a lengthy explanation than to dictate it quickly into slack. Certain programs are less accessible than others, like Figma, so sometimes I may need help navigating them, or to have data exported from them into a format that's easier for me.

I also may make funny faces or seem to be talking while muted sometimes while I am on video calls, and appreciate awareness that this is me controlling my computer and I will attempt to wind it down quickly so that I can get back onto voice.