99% Invisible – Episode: Adapt or Design
Release Date: June 3, 2025
Host: Roman Mars
Guest: Kurt Kohlsted, Digital Director and Co-Author of the 99% Invisible City

Introduction: Kurt’s Journey into Assistive Design

In this compelling episode of 99% Invisible, host Roman Mars engages in an intimate conversation with Kurt Kohlsted, the show's Digital Director and co-author of 99% Invisible City. Kurt shares his personal journey following a significant injury that altered his daily life and professional work in design journalism. This episode delves into the challenges of adapting to a new physical reality and the innovative designs that emerged from necessity.

The Incident and Immediate Aftermath [02:24 – 05:35]

Kurt’s Sudden Injury:
Kurt recounts the night he sustained a severe injury that resulted in the paralysis of his right arm. He describes waking up disoriented and unable to move his arm, leading to an emergency hospital visit.

“And I had to go from thinking of it in terms of being an injury to thinking of it in terms of being a disability.” – Kurt Kohlsted [04:55]

Medical Diagnosis:
Doctors determined that Kurt experienced a neurocardiac event, causing prolonged pressure on his arm and damaging the brachial plexus, a network of nerves connecting the spinal column to the arm. This damage led to permanent paralysis and loss of sensation in his right arm.

Navigating a Two-Handed World with One Hand [05:35 – 12:08]

Initial Adaptations:
Upon leaving the hospital, Kurt immediately faced the reality of living with one-handedness. Simple tasks, such as putting on clothes or accessing his phone, became significant challenges.

“It immediately becomes clear that there's a lot of adaptation that's going to need to take place.” – Kurt Kohlsted [06:53]

Practical Solutions:
To manage everyday tasks, Kurt implemented several creative solutions:

• Phone Access: Removed his phone from his right pocket and attached it to a holster on his pants.
• Wallet Management: Transferred wallet contents to a retractable key card reader to keep his wallet accessible yet unobtrusive.

Shoe Adaptations:
Kurt tackled the challenge of tying shoelaces by experimenting with various solutions:

• Lock Laces: Utilized kits that allow shoes to be tightened without tying.
• DIY Aglets: Created homemade aglets using heat shrink tubing to prevent shoelace ends from unraveling, achieving a factory-finish look.

Embracing Magnetic Buckles for Convenience [12:08 – 14:15]

Frustration with Traditional Buckles:
Conventional plastic buckles on items like backpacks proved difficult to manage with one hand due to their rigid and fiddly nature.

Magnetic Buckles as a Game-Changer:
Kurt discovered magnetic buckles, which offer a strong, secure closure that can be easily snapped together and separated with minimal effort.

“The magnet brings it into place and then once it snaps, it's like you need to mechanically unfasten it to get it free.” – Kurt Kohlsted [13:29]

Implementation:
He replaced traditional buckles with magnetic ones on his gear, enhancing both functionality and ease of use.

One-Handed Keyboard Solutions: The Quest for Efficiency [19:48 – 35:01]

Challenges in Writing One-Handed:
As a design journalist, Kurt relied heavily on writing, which became arduous with one-handed typing. Traditional keyboards were inefficient and physically taxing.

Exploring One-Handed Keyboards:
Kurt explored various one-handed keyboard designs to find a solution that minimizes hand movement and maximizes typing efficiency.

1. Meltron Keyboard:

   • Design: Curved bowl shape allowing fingers to reach more keys with minimal movement.
   • Drawbacks: Only half the keys were within the curved area, requiring excessive hand movement to access other keys.

   “Once you lift it out, you have to move it around a lot.” – Kurt Kohlsted [24:28]

2. Tippy Keyboard:

   • Design: Pie-shaped layout that allows most keys to be accessed with minimal movement and leverages multi-function keys.
   • Drawbacks: Steep learning curve due to the introduction of new key functions and layouts.

   “Learning a whole new keyboard layout and a whole new set of specialized keys… really got to be a bit overwhelming.” – Kurt Kohlsted [26:15]

3. Half QWERTY Keyboard:

   • Design: A mirrored half of a standard QWERTY layout, allowing muscle memory from a traditional keyboard to assist in one-handed typing.
   • Advantages: Utilizes familiar finger movements, reducing the learning curve.
   • Drawbacks: Limited key space required numerous modifier key combinations, complicating usage.

Custom Software Solution:
Realizing that none of the off-the-shelf keyboards met his needs perfectly, Kurt developed a custom software solution. By programming layers of functionality into his existing keyboard, he created a versatile system that allows for both traditional and one-handed typing without sacrificing access to essential keys.

“It's built into whatever device you have… it's free.” – Kurt Kohlsted [33:03]

Curtie Keyboard:
Kurt named his custom setup the "Curtie" keyboard and made it available for free on the 99% Invisible website, complete with setup instructions and key labeling guides for others facing similar challenges.

Adapt or Design Series and Personal Reflections [34:14 – 35:25]

Adapt or Design Web Series:
Kurt launched the Adapt or Design series on the 99% Invisible website, documenting his adaptations and the design processes he undertook to overcome daily challenges. The series aims to inspire and assist others dealing with disabilities by showcasing practical solutions and innovative designs.

Current Status and Ongoing Recovery:
One year after his injury, Kurt has regained some functionality in his arm and hand but continues to navigate the complexities of one-handedness. He likens his recovery to a "claw game phase," where progress is incremental and sometimes frustratingly slow.

“I'm hoping that eventually that hand can once again be the dominant hand rather than the sort of dumb cousin of my left.” – Kurt Kohlsted [35:01]

Conclusion: Designing Through Adversity

Kurt Kohlsted’s story is a testament to resilience and the power of design in overcoming personal obstacles. By rethinking everyday tools and interfaces, Kurt not only adapted to his new circumstances but also contributed valuable solutions that can aid others facing similar challenges. This episode highlights the often-overlooked intersection of personal experience and design innovation, embodying the essence of 99% Invisible.

Further Resources:

• Adapt or Design Series & Curtie Keyboard Instructions: 99pi.org/Adapt

Produced by Kurt Kohlsted and Isabel Angel, Edited by Kelly Prime, Mixed by Martin Gonzalez.