Doug's Gray Matters

We all move along the Ability Curve. Designing for each other means designing for ourselves — now and in the future Biology Always Wins: The Reality of the Ability Curve We don’t like to think about it, but here’s the truth: You will be disabled someday. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But eventually, biology catches up to all of us. It could be an injury. A chronic illness. Aging joints. Shaky hands. Slower reflexes. Lost strength. It happens to everyone — not because w

1.3%. It’s not the interest rate on a financial product, it is not the number of bikers that are kind of outlaw and it is not the percentage of daily nutrition from your cereal. It’s the percentage of your life that each year represents in a 77-year lifespan-the average lifespan in the United States, according to the CDC. I’ve been reflecting on this a lot lately: my age, these uncertain times, and the many things I still want to accomplish. Each passing year feels more signi

Most people don’t think much about disability — until it touches their life. When you’re healthy and independent, the world feels like it was built for you. Doors open, shelves are in reach, tools work without much thought. It’s easy to assume it will always stay that way. But ability isn’t fixed. Illness, injury, or simply age changes how we move, grip, see, or hear. Millions live with these changes every day. And yet, our products, policies, and investments often fail to re

I was recently honored to be highlighted in Adrienne Barker, MAS's recent book, where she profiles entrepreneurs building businesses that solve real problems in unexpected ways. The chapter tells the story behind the NULU—a kitchen knife born from a moment of frustration in my workshop. "Disability and ability is a continuum. It's not an identity. It's not a different tribe... We all will get there. The reality is people look at disabilities and identity as opposed to a state