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Reflecting on 2021: Future of Work is to Work with Life
As we start the year 2021, there is no shortage of talk about how the 2020 pandemic has profoundly changed all aspects of life. For me, this got personal too. Even though fortunately so far I have not had a close encounter with COVID-19 in my inner circle of family...
Blessing in the Sky or Blessing in Disguise?
If you are a non-native language speaker, you would know that idioms or colloquial sayings are the hardest thing to learn. When I was learning English and first heard the expression "blessing in disguise", I thought I heard "blessing in the sky". I used the latter...
UN on Smart Inclusion
Twelve years ago to the exact day tomorrow, I was invited to attend and speak at the UN 2006 IDPD (International Day of People with Disabilities). The theme of that year was E-Accessibility. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General at the time, said in a statement, “ Access to...
Diversity Drives Disruptive Innovation
G3ict made an announcement today regarding FrancesWestCo’s collaboration with World Enabled and AT&T on the Inclusive Innovation for Smarter Cities project. Together, we will work to ensure each smart city strategy embraces diversity and inclusion in their urban...
Priceless Reward 无价之宝
In 2004 I went to China as the newly appointed IBM Accessibility Center Director. At the time, the word “accessibility” had no Chinese translation. I, with the help of the IBM Research Director, worked on the Chinese translation myself. My goal was to start...
Values Matter 以德在先
“Uber Fail” is the title of June 26th’s Time magazine cover article. In it author Katy Steinmetz and Matt Vella described the catastrophic fall of Uber, “the world’s most valuable startup” and commented that “future startups are going to make decisions that will...
THINK Thanks 知恩圖報
Right about this time a year ago, I was on my way to IBM Headquarters in Armonk for a meeting. It was a routine drive from Boston which I had done hundreds of times over the past 30+ years. That day was a beautiful Spring day with trees just budding along Interstate...
A UN Related Reflection 饮水思源
Last Friday, December 2nd, The United Nations celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the signing of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). I was very honored to be there and felt strong gratitude both professionally and personally, as I have...
Boston Accessibility – the next generation
Great blog by Maureen Kraft, IBM Accessibility Transformation Leader! “On Saturday, October 1, 2016, I joined over 100 members of the Boston accessibility community as we descended on the IBM Innovation Center in Cambridge, MA for the 7th annual Boston Accessibility...
Join me in New York at the “Lesbians who tech + Allies” conference.
I’m very honored to have been invited to give a speech for “Lesbians who tech” regarding “How to harness your power + Lead” . Follow this event and make sure to check out this amazing initiative’s social media platforms . Here you can find the event’s...
OutThink Aging
This past January at Computer Association Technology’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, IBM and CTA announced a joint study on the cognitive computing impact on aging. This was one of the most significant studies I sponsored as IBM’s Chief Accessibility...
In remembrance
“The whole course of human history may depend on a change of heart in one solitary and even humble individual – for it is in the solitary mind and soul of the individual that the battle between good and evil is waged and ultimately won or lost” – M. Scott Peck In...
Blind but Can See 開闊眼界
I am sitting in a coffee shop at Harvard Square doing my work. When I look around, all the people, mostly millennials and young students, are busy looking at their smart phones, talking through their blue tooth devices and typing on computers. Nobody is really...
Leadership matters 領導有方
One of the questions that often came up when I was IBM’s Chief Accessibility Officer was, “How do you justify accessibility in a corporate setting”? My answer has always been: “It has to come from the top, the very top”. Setting the tone at the very top is necessary...
Another Great Article!
My good friend Andrew Johnson at Gartner just published this insightful article. He is one of the few IT analysts who really “get” accessibility. His emerging technology background gives him the understanding as to what is to come in the IT industry. That is,...
Electronic Accessibility Promotes Productivity
Great Article! http://www.viscardicenter.org/resources/blog/electronic-accessibility.html
FRANCES WEST, GLOBAL THOUGHT LEADER IN DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY TO CHAIR G3ICT STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
G3ict, the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies, is pleased to announce that Frances West, who served as Steering Committee member since G3ict founding in 2006 at the United Nations, has been appointed as Chair of its Strategy and...
The Great Way/The Great Together 大同世界
Today is the 7th day that I have retired from IBM, after 37 years. All my family and friends have told me to sit back, relax and to let retirement settle in so I can have a chance to reflect.So as I was busily turning in my IBM computer and badge and signing up for...