Interview #168 — Melanie Tran
by Charlotte Lim
Melanie Tran is a UX designer, disruptor, and activist. She is the chair of the National Youth Disability Summit Co-Design Committee, and the Product Designer at Hireup.
Named Top 100 Women of Influence in 2019 by the Australian Financial Review, Melanie is the first person in the world with a neuromuscular condition to receive Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Her work as a User Experience (UX) Designer has been recognised internationally, named Winner of the Laureate International Global Here for Good Award in 2018.
Melanie speaks to Charlotte Lim about what it means to be a woman with a disability, working in the technology sector, and pivotal moments.
I recall from your speech at TEDxSydney some of your experiences of gender discrimination. What do you feel has been the largest challenge to date you’ve faced in particular as a woman of colour with a disability?
This is an interesting question. I think my answer and perspective on this has changed over time. When I first started to unpack this and understand what it means to be a woman with a disability, I struggled to figure out whether my disability overpowers my identity as a woman. I would spend a lot of time wondering what people see when they look at me - do they see a woman? Or do they see a person in a wheelchair?
I don’t have the answer to this. But more importantly, I’ve learnt that this doesn’t matter. Because regardless, it doesn’t detract from the fact that I have something different to offer. That is exactly what makes each and every one of us unique. And this is precisely the toughest challenge - it’s about understanding our unique perspectives and how we can leverage this to help us shape a more diverse and inclusive society.
How have you managed your career in a largely male-dominated field—in UX Design—as a person of colour with disability?
I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to do what I love, in sectors that I’ve always wanted to work in. The technology sector is known to be a male-dominated industry, and as a woman with a disability working in this sector, I often get asked how I feel about this or what are some of the challenges. I’d challenge this perspective and ask: what do we have to lose if more women worked in this sector?
It would mean that we are placed in a better position to address gender equality. It would mean we are able to create better products and services because it is created by people with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives. It would mean that talent will be discovered, voices will be heard and difference is celebrated.
The most important thing I have learnt is that it’s not about providing more women with the opportunity to work in this sector—it’s about creating opportunities.
What do you wish more people knew about being a person living with a disability? Do you feel as though your race and gender play a part in why you feel this way?
There is a common saying that changes our way of thinking—when there’s half a glass of water, you could choose to see a half filled glass, or a half empty glass. The same principle applies to the word disability—you could either see it as a barrier and restriction, or you could see it as a driving force for innovation and catalyst for social change.
Being a woman with a disability comes with challenges, but at the same time, it has also forced me to think creatively and helped shape my perspective as a designer. It made me realise that technology has a much bigger role to play than to just serve as everyday convenience. Technology can be leveraged as a catalyst for change. And when technology is coupled with the power of design and innovation, it becomes a driving force for social change.
Hireup is a perfect example of how technology and innovation can be leveraged to drive positive social change in the disability sector. Hireup is an online platform that enables Australians with a disability to find, hire and manage their own support workers. On one hand, Hireup’s model is driven by social impact at its core. And on the other hand, it is driven by a powerful story of lived experience, empathy and the desire to learn, improve and change.
I personally believe that the best products and services are created by individuals with a story, passion, knowledge and having the ability to contribute through their unique perspectives.
How do you think the community should tackle tokenism, particularly in the professional world?
I think the first step is to take a step back and think about what the term access and inclusion means to you. Everyone has a different definition, but what does it mean to you? What does it look like in practice? Why do you care?
Some would see access and inclusion as a matter of compliance and checking the boxes so that they can continue getting the job done.
Others would see regulations as a starting point, and the principles of access and inclusion can only truly be embraced when they go beyond compliance. When they understand that access and inclusion is a journey that enables them to learn, fail and improve.
I’d challenge you to think about your perspective on this. And more importantly, what you can do in your everyday work, to go beyond compliance.
Talk me through what a typical day looks like for you!
My day would always start and end with checking emails! My schedule often changes from day to day, but on most days I would spend some time in the morning responding to emails. Then I would jump into a day of work at Hireup. One of the many things I love about being a Product Designer at Hireup is that I get to work from both the macro and micro perspectives. I’d get the opportunity to see things from the macro view and do strategic planning, prioritisation and roadmap alignment. Then I’d work from the micro perspective and do some of the hands-on technical design work with creating wireframes, prototypes and product testing etc.
Once I wrap up my day at Hireup, I would either work on my research project or do some more work with Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA). CYDA is a national representative organisation for children and young people with disability aged 0 to 25 years. They provide a link between the direct experiences of children and young people with disability and the Australian Government and other key stakeholders. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to Chair CYDA’s Co-design Committee and work with some of the brightest minds across the nation to host their first ever National Youth Disability Summit 2020.
Then of course, my day would often finish off with some time to respond to emails!
The most important thing I have learnt is that it’s not about providing more women with the opportunity to work in this sector—it’s about creating opportunities.
What were the most defining moments of your childhood? How did these experiences shape the person you are today?
One of the most pivotal moments in my journey was when I was in high school. I clearly remember the time when we were asked to choose elective subjects and the teachers would remind us to choose subjects that we are passionate about and would potentially like to pursue a career in. I’ve always been career-driven, but at the same time I also silently battled the fears of the uncertainties and unknowns, especially for a young person living with a disability. It was in fact, my Design and Technology teacher, who taught me the power of design and the opportunities it creates when it is coupled with technology.
I learnt that design goes beyond functionality and aesthetics - it can be leveraged to drive positive social change. And technology is the perfect tool to help put this into practice. This was one of the pivotal moments that helped shape my perspective as an individual, and as a designer.
Who were your role models as a young, female Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) person with disability? Who are your current inspirations, and which female CALD people with disability do you follow on social media?
There are so many respected leaders around the world and I could talk all day about how each of these leaders inspire and challenge me. But if I were to pick two, it would be Michelle Obama and Bob Iger!
I continue to be amazed and inspired everyday by Michelle Obama’s strong beliefs for social justice and equality, and her ability to place these values at the core of her work. It is the fact that she acknowledges how far we’ve come with access and inclusion, and how far we still have to go. And more importantly, she takes action. Good leaders create an impact from the ground up—they provide a platform for individuals and teach them to create opportunities for themselves and others around them. And that there is always room for improvement, no matter what you do.
This leads me to something Bob Iger said: never settle for mediocracy, when there is an opportunity for improvement. This speaks to the inner designer and social entrepreneur side of me, as I’ve learnt that there is no such thing as a perfect solution, because there is always room for improvement.
What advice would you give to other female people of colour with disability?
The advice I’d give to any woman, regardless of race, culture and ability is to always be curious and fearless.
Curiosity leads to questions. Questions lead to understanding. And understanding leads to empathy. Having the ability to empathize would allow you to understand how unique perspectives can contribute to our society and drive the change we need to see.
It is also important to be fearless! We all experience challenges at some stage, and we’ve all had people tell us things we can’t or shouldn't do, but if we want to push outside of our comfort zone and do what we believe is right, it requires us to be fearless.
Be bold. Be brave. Be innovative.
What is something that you are really passionate about, but not a lot of people know about?
When I am not working or studying, I'm happiest when I get to write and immerse in the fictional world of novels. I’ve loved writing since I was a child - maybe it’s because there’s just something about being able to use the power of words to paint images in one’s mind. The beauty of writing lies upon the fact that boundaries and opportunities are only limited by one’s imagination and creativity. And it’s also the fact that storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used to help challenge our perspectives and allows us to see the world through the eyes of others.
What projects are you working on right now?
When I am not at work, I am conducting research. I recently commenced my Master of Philosophy at Torrens University Australia. It’s a research project that gives me the opportunity to combine the three disciplines that I am most passionate about - health, design and technology. As a designer, stepping into the academic world is new and filled with many unknowns and uncertainties—but I also know that it is the perfect opportunity for me to learn more about the health, design and technology sectors combined, contribute to the wealth of knowledge that already exists and leverage the power of this knowledge as a catalyst to drive positive social change.
What does being Asian-Australian mean to you?
It means having the ability to not only adapt to the beauty of cultural differences, but also combine this with my identity as a woman living with a disability, in a country as incredible as Australia—in which I am proud to call home.
I think the first step is to take a step back and think about what the term access and inclusion means to you. Everyone has a different definition, but what does it mean to you? What does it look like in practice? Why do you care?
Interview by Charlotte Lim
Photographs by Viet-My Bui
A profile based on this interview was first published in Honi Soit’s Disabled Honi 2020 edition.