Pete Denman
UX Designer
Intel
Portland, OR USA
“After my accident, all that anyone expected from me was to breathe...so all I could do from there was go higher.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationPete Denman
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
He failed the third grade, and after years of struggling with reading, he was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was in the seventh grade.
He gave up on school, and to avoid figuring out what to do with his life, he started partying.
In 1988, when he was twenty years old, he broke his neck in a diving accident and was left without the use of any of his limbs.
Says no one expected anything from him after that; they barely expected him to breathe.
It took him 2-3 years to recover, but he saw it as an opportunity to reset and start his life over.
After his recovery, he went back to high school, got his diploma, then went on to college; he graduated when he was thirty years old.
He got his degree in graphic design and now works as a UX designer at Intel.
One of his most notable projects was redesigning the user interface of Stephen Hawking’s revolutionary computer system.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
UX Designer
I am an interaction and User eXperience designer.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Design
Technology
Problem Solving
Day to Day
I think of myself as a creative thinker and technologist. I help to design and create specialized technology and equipment with the aim of making people's lives better / easier. I am most well known for working with Stephen Hawking and providing him with specialized computer equipment to improve his communication speed. Through my work at Intel and other organizations, my aim is to help people with disabilities thrive.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
Make your own path. Never go the way the herd is going. It will only lead to everyone trying to get the same job.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"You shouldn't tell people you are dyslexic, they will think less of you and treat you differently. "
Challenges I Overcame
Learning Issues
Physical Issues
Interviewed By
Being You
Making learning differences your strength
