AnisaJackson

PuzzlePrompt2
28January2015
TeachingTeamworkinProstheses

KEDAResearchandDevelopmentisabiotechcompanywhichspecializesin
prosthetics.Theteamiscurrentlyworkingtocreatealineofprostheticarmswhichare
affordable,practical,customizableandstylish.KEDAsmissionstatement:

Weattempttoshiftthegazeinthefieldofprosthesesawayfromthefixingof
disabilitiesandtowardsamorenuancedexplorationofepistemologiesand
ontologiesofableism.Werecognizetheinaccessibilityproducedbysocietys
violentlackofaccommodationtobodieswithdifferentabilities.Within
mainstreamprostheticsthereisatendencytoemulateableistregulatorynorms,
however,KEDAspecializesinthecreationofprostheticsthatcombatstigmaand
recognizetheusersagency.

Theteamisunmotivated,scattered,andslightlyhostiletowardsoneanother.As
thedeadlineapproachestopresenttheprosthesislinetopotentialinvestors,theteammust
settheirdifferencesasideandworktogethertocompletethelineanddevisepresentation
strategies.Astheleadandprojectmanageroftheprosthesisline,Ihaveasurface
understandingofwhatneedstobedonewithouroverallproduct,buthavingdroppedout
ofUWdonothavethesametechnicalandpracticalabilitiesthatsomeoftheteam
membershave.
Iwillrefocusthegroupinaseriesofactivities.Iwillstartbyhelpingtheteam
verbalizeandinternalizewhatKEDAsmissionandpurposemeansforthem.Following
themodelsetbyPeggyMcIntoshs1988
WhitePrivilege:UnpackingtheInvisible
Knapsack,
theteamwillbegintouncoverthe,invisiblepackageofunearnedassets
which[we]cancountoncashingineachday,butaboutwhich[wewere]meantto
remainoblivious,(McIntosh1998).Beginningwithindividualreflectionandlater
discussedasagroup,teammemberswillbegiventheopportunitytoreflectonafew
waysthatoursocietyregularlyaccommodatesourneedsandtheprivilegethatthis
entitlesus.Thisisbynomeansmeanttobeacompletelistofablebodiedprivilege,
ratheritismeanttohighlightKEDAscommitmenttomovingbeyonddominant
understandingswhichdehumanizedisabledbodies.Additionally,thisactivityattemptsto
alignteammembersvalueswiththecompanyandprojectspurpose.Theactivityis
meanttobechallengingandinclusive.
Whenteammembersareabletoconnecttheworktheydotoasenseofpurpose,
wemaybeabletoraiseengagement.Thenextstepofthisteambuildingexerciseis
meanttohighlighttheindividualcompetenciesandstrengthsofeachteammember.
Employeeswillbeaskedwhatstrengthstheyseeineachotherandthemselves.These
strengthswillbenamedoutloudtotheteamprojectmembers.Next,wewillbrainstorm
asateam,whattasksmustbeassignedtocompletetheprojectandhoweachteam
membersindividualstrengthscanbeappliedandoptimizedtotheproject.Thisactivity
aimstohelpemployeesaligntheirstrengthswiththeresponsibilityoftheirroles.There

aremanywaysthatthesestrengthscanbealignedwithproductiveactivities.These
strengthscreateapowerfulproductandimproveteamworkingskills.
Onescenariowouldallow:
Themanwhorarelytalkstoberesponsibleformanagingourteam,hewillbe
responsibleforreaffirmingthateachteammemberisproducingqualityworkthat
surpasseshiscritique.
Themanwhosketchestoberesponsiblefordesigninginnovativeprostheses
Thewomanwhoisrumouredtobeageniusintransferringdatatocomputer
modelingtoberesponsibleforcreatingcomputer3Dmodelsoftheprostheses
Thewomanwhooftentalksaboutmanagementandresourceneedstobe
responsibleforassessingtheaffordabilityandpracticalityofourproposed
materials.
Icouldcollaboratewithourmastersketchertocreatethephysicalcomponentsof
theprosthesis.

Results:
Mygroupmembersenjoyedthe
InvisibleKnapsack
activity.Theydescribedthis
asathoughtful,deep,andpowerfulactivitythatmovesbeyondsurfacelevelicebreakers
forlongtermmeaningfulresults.Toworktogethercallsforaunityofcorevalues.This
activitygavehearttothecompanyanditsemployeesandtookaFreireanshiftby
addressingtheviolenceoftheinstitutioninsteadofblamingtheindividualsphysical
status.Additionally,thegroupencouragedthestrategyofstrengthbasedadvising(I
owethistermtoMadeline,)asindividualsaremorelikelytosucceedwhengiven
productivetasksbasedontheirownstrengths.

Myown
InvisibleKnapsack
:
1. Icaneasilyfindhousingthatisaccessibletome,withnobarrierstomymobility.
2. Icanarrangetoattendsocialeventswithoutworryingiftheywillbeaccessibleto
me.
3. Icangoshoppingalonemostofthetimeandbeabletoaccessitemswithout
assistanceandeasilyseeandusecreditcardmachines.
4. Icangotowork,school,andhome,ignoranttohowthearchitectureisalways
moldedtocorrespondwithmyability.
5. Icanturnonthetelevisionoropenthefrontpageofthepaperandseepeopleof
myabilitywidelyandaccuratelyrepresented.
6. Iamneveraskedtospeakforallpeopleofmyabilitylevel.
7. Icaneasilybuyposters,postcards,picturebooks,greetingcards,dolls,toys,and
childrensmagazinesfeaturingpeopleofmyability.
8. Icanspeaktosomeoneinchargeandcountonmyabilitynottoworkagainst
theappearanceofmyperformance.
9. Icanbelongtoaworkplaceandnotfeelthatothersresentmymembership
becauseofmyabilitylevel.
10. Idonothavetofearbeingassaultedbecauseofmyabilitylevel.
11. AsIgrowupfromchildhood,Iwillnotfeelthatmybodyisinferioror
undesirableandthatitshouldbefixed,inconcernstomyability.

12. Myneighborhoodallowsmetomoveaboutonsidewalksandintoothershomes
withoutdifficulty.
13. Icanbereasonablysurethatmyabilitylevelwillnotdiscourageemployersfrom
hiringme.
14. Icanchoosetosharemylifewithsomeonewithoutitbeinginterpretedasa
disadvantagetothem.
15. Icantakeajobwithanaffirmativeactionemployerwithouthavingsomeone
suspectIgotmyjobbecauseofmyabilitylevel.
16. IfIamfired,Idonothavetoquestionwhetherithadtodowithmyabilitylevel.
17. Icanbeassuredthatassumptionsaboutmymentalcapabilitieswillnotbemade
basedonmyphysicalstatus.
18. Peopleofmyabilityareseenaslivinglivesthatareworthliving.
19. Eventhelanguageusedineffortstocombatableismreinstatesmyabilityas
normative.

REFERENCE
WhitePrivilege:UnpackingtheInvisibleKnapsack
byPeggyMcIntosh(1988)