I have Cerebral Palsy...But it doesn't have me! #Product Leader and Public #Speaker who loves his wife, #Design, #Agile, #Technology, and #Accessibility.
Waterloo, Ontario
Joined August 2008
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Today, I learned that my #TedX Toronto talk has officially made the Ted.com site. This is the talk I did about #Change, #Leadership, and #Agile in relation to growing up with a #disability. Please recommend my video on the Ted site.
bit.ly/34AY1t0
Dave Dame retweeted
Last week, we shared the new Windows Search experience and how Search is moving from finding to doing.
The team put together a Beyond the Build makers video, where @YashMisra12 and some of the team share the design and engineering decisions that shaped the experience.
We’ll share more at today’s NYC Insider meetup. See you soon.
The news of RJ Mitte's passing at just 34 hits differently when you live with cerebral palsy yourself.
Living with a disability is not easy. And what most people never see is the weight we carry just to have the same opportunities as everyone else.
Imagine being expected to run the same race, achieve the same success, and stand out above the rest, all while wearing a 500-pound weighted vest.
That's what life with a disability can feel like.
We don't just have to succeed. We often have to break down barriers just to get to the starting line.
RJ did more than play a character on *Breaking Bad*. He showed the world that disability doesn't diminish talent, ambition, or the ability to make an impact.
As someone who has spent a lifetime navigating those same barriers, I have tremendous respect for what he accomplished and the doors he helped open for others.
34 is far too young.
Rest in peace, RJ. Thank you for making disability visible, and for reminding the world that we belong.
#RJMitte #CerebralPalsy #DisabilityRepresentation #Inclusion #BreakingBad
ALT Portrait of a smiling R.J. Mitte wearing a navy blue blazer over a dark patterned shirt. He stands indoors against a softly lit background. Bold white text across the bottom reads “IN LOVING MEMORY R.J. MITTE,” with white corner graphics framing the tribute image.
Check out my latest article: Complexity Isn’t the Problem. Confusion Is. linkedin.com/pulse/complexit… via @LinkedIn
I’ve spent most of my life being told, directly or indirectly, that the way I move through the world is different.
Turns out, different has been one of my greatest advantages.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down for an episode of **Wired Divergently**, and this conversation gets pretty personal.
We talk about disability, leadership, technology, inclusive design, and what happens when you stop looking at the things that make you different as limitations and start recognizing how they shape the way you see problems, people, and possibilities.
My cerebral palsy has certainly made parts of my life harder. But it has also taught me how to adapt, how to be curious, how to lead through vulnerability, and how to keep finding another way forward when the obvious path doesn't work.
Those lessons have followed me from growing up with a disability to leadership, product making, writing a book, and now helping shape more human-centered and inclusive technology.
This isn't really a conversation about overcoming disability.
It's a conversation about what can happen when you stop trying to fit the world’s definition of how things are supposed to be done and start using what makes you different as part of your strength.
I’m really proud of this conversation, and I’d love for you to give it a listen.
🎙️ **Wired Divergently, Episode 2: Meet Dave Dame**
open.spotify.com/episode/6Xg…
If something in the conversation connects with you, share it with someone who might need to hear it too.
And I’d genuinely love to hear what part resonated with you most.
#Leadership #Disability #InclusiveDesign #Accessibility #HumanCenteredDesign #LeadingWithImperfectFeet
Dave Dame retweeted
The Surface launch happened this week in Maui with our Snapdragon partners.
One of the interesting parts was seeing @dan_saito from our team bring his own workflow into the demo. Danilo works on experiences & devices and has been exploring how AI can help across the creative process.
The workflow moved from Photoshop to Blender on the device, then into Vizcom in the cloud for image and video generation. That mix was the interesting part: a lot of the creative work happening locally on a portable PC, with cloud AI extending the workflow when it makes sense.
More to come in October as we bring the launch to more places and share more stories from creators.
Check out the demo:
What an incredible evening at Brick & Mortar Books.
It was a privilege to share the stories and ideas behind Leading with Imperfect Feet with such an engaged group of people. The thoughtful questions and genuine conversations about leadership, vulnerability, adaptation, and perseverance reminded me why I wrote this book in the first place.
It was an even greater honour to share the evening with Andrew Hill, who wrote the foreword. Andrew brought curiosity, insight, and humanity to our conversation, creating space for an honest discussion about what leadership really looks like when we stop chasing perfection.
Thank you to Brick & Mortar Books for hosting us, to Andrew for helping make the evening so meaningful, and to everyone who came out, asked questions, bought a book, or simply joined the conversation.
I hope you enjoy the book and that it motivates you to take your own next imperfect step.
This may have been one evening, but the journey continues. I look forward to many more conversations ahead.
#LeadingWithImperfectFeet #Leadership #Vulnerability #Perseverance #InclusiveLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #AuthorEvent
ALT David Dame and Andrew Hill sit together behind a table at Brick & Mortar Books during a conversation about leadership, vulnerability, and perseverance. A copy of *Leading with Imperfect Feet* is displayed between them. The name cards on the table read “David Dame” and “Andrew Hill.”
ALT David Dame smiles from his power wheelchair and points toward a chalkboard outside Brick & Mortar Books. The sign reads: “Adult Nonfiction Event. David Dame, author of Leading with Imperfect Feet. Tues., Sept. 22nd at 6 p.m.” The bookstore’s event website appears in smaller text along the bottom.
Writing Leading with Imperfect Feet was one of the greatest honours of my life.
This is not simply a book about disability. It is a book about leadership, vulnerability, adaptation, and learning to move forward when the path was never designed for you.
Living with cerebral palsy has taught me that leadership is not about waiting for perfect conditions or pretending to have every answer. It is about trusting people, creating space for others to grow, and having the authenticity to take the next imperfect step.
On Tuesday, September 22 at 6:00 p.m. PDT, I’ll be at Brick & Mortar Books in Redmond for a special in-person conversation with Andrew Hill , who wrote the foreword to the book.
Andrew will interview me about the stories behind the book, the leadership lessons my disability has taught me, and why vulnerability can be one of our greatest strengths.
If you are in the Redmond or Seattle area, I would be honoured to have you join us. Bring a colleague, a friend, or someone who is navigating change and trying to become the leader they want to be.
Your starting point does not define your ceiling.
Leadership is not about having perfect feet. It is about taking the next imperfect step and helping others rise along the way.
📅 Tuesday, September 22
⏰ 6:00 p.m. PDT
📍 Brick & Mortar Books, Redmond Town Center
🎟️ Event details: brickandmortarbooks.com/even…
I hope to see you there.
#LeadingWithImperfectFeet #AuthenticLeadership #InclusiveLeadership #DisabilityInclusion #Vulnerability #Leadership #Adaptability
Dave Dame retweeted
We have new WIP builds today!
Beta: aka.ms/Beta-8-17-2026
Beta (26H1): aka.ms/Beta-26H1-8-17-2026
Experimental: aka.ms/Experimental-8-17-202…
Experimental (26H1): aka.ms/Experimental-26H1-8-1…
Experimental (Future Platforms): aka.ms/ExperimentalFP-8-17-2…
Dave Dame retweeted
Um Apple might not be paying attention to what others do but a quick search and their branding team would have found Surface Duo
Dave Dame retweeted
Two accessibility feature improvements we're rolling out: Voice isolation for Voice Access (filters background noise) and Narrator support for HID braille displays. HID displays now work over USB during PC setup so deaf-blind users can set up their PCs independently.
Why Talking to AI May Improve the Way We Think
For years, voice technology has been designed for two things: commands and dictation.
But I increasingly use voice with AI for something else.
I use it to think.
I start speaking before the idea is fully formed. I test assumptions, change direction, hear contradictions, and sometimes discover the real problem only after talking it through.
That is not dictation.
Dictation assumes the thinking is finished and simply captures the words.
Thinking out loud is different. It forces an idea to take shape. When a thought stays in your head, it can feel clearer than it actually is. The moment you explain it aloud, the gaps become easier to hear.
AI can make that process more useful by reflecting the thought back:
“You started with speed, but moved toward decision ownership.”
“You have described the solution, but not the problem.”
“Those two assumptions may conflict.”
That creates a powerful loop:
Speak. Reflect. Challenge. Revise.
The productivity gain is not simply entering words faster.
It is reaching a clearer problem statement, a stronger decision, or a better strategy sooner.
The old voice model was:
Say a command. Get an action.
The emerging model is:
Start with an incomplete thought. Speak to explore it. Use AI to organize and challenge it. Keep going until the complexity becomes clearer.
The real productivity gain is not speaking faster.
It is thinking more clearly through complexity.
The future of voice is not command and control.
It is conversation as a cognitive tool.
We will not just talk to AI to get things done.
We will use voice and AI to navigate complexity, challenge our thinking, and reach better decisions.
#ArtificialIntelligence #Productivity #FutureOfWork #Leadership #Innovation
What if “design for one, extend to many” is right, but incomplete?
Designing with one often asks: can a person with a disability use this?
Extending to many asks: is it good enough that people would choose it?
That shift matters.
My new blog: medium.com/@ddame/inclusive-…
#Accessibility #AI #InclusiveDesign #FutureOfWork #ProductDesign
I realized something today: I have now been on this earth longer without my dad than I was with him.
He passed away just as I graduated university, but the foundation he gave me has carried me every day since.
Dad, you were the first person who truly believed in me. You pushed me, challenged me, and held me to a standard that helped me become something the rest of the world could not always see.
When I graduated, I asked you why you never built ramps around our house to make it easier for me to get up and down the stairs. You told me, “I won’t always be around to build ramps for you. You’ll have to learn how to climb them yourself.”
At the time, I’m not sure I fully understood it. Now I do.
You weren’t just teaching me how to climb stairs. You were teaching me how to climb through life. How to face hard things. How to build relationships. How to work hard. How to carry myself with pride. How to keep going when the world wasn’t built for me.
I hope you’re looking down and seeing that your hopes, your standards, and your ambitions for me were not wasted.
I think about you every single day. I miss you deeply. And I try my best to live in a way that honours the man you were and the lessons you left behind.
Thank you for teaching me how to climb.
#Leadership #LifeLessons #Resilience #Legacy #Fatherhood #Gratitude #PersonalGrowth #Motivation #ClimbHigher #LeadingWithPurpose
ALT Images of my dad.
Accessibility is not just about removing barriers. It’s about unlocking potential.
I had the privilege of delivering the keynote at Canadian Tire Corporation’s 2026 Red Shirt Day Signature Event, where we explored the power of accessibility, AI, Copilot, and technology to create more opportunities for everyone.
What excites me most about this moment in technology is that we’re moving beyond accommodation and toward empowerment. Tools like Copilot, voice interfaces, and AI are helping people focus less on their limitations and more on their possibilities.
As someone who has spent a lifetime navigating a world not always designed for me, I’ve seen firsthand how technology can be a great equalizer. The right technology doesn’t just make tasks easier. It creates independence, confidence, productivity, and opportunity.
A huge thank you to the Canadian Tire team, EN-ABLE, and everyone who participated in the conversation. The energy in the room was incredible, and it was encouraging to see so many leaders committed to building workplaces where everyone can bring their full selves and do their best work.
The conversation around accessibility is growing. Let’s keep it going.
#RedShirtDay #Accessibility #Inclusion #ArtificialIntelligence #MicrosoftCopilot #AI #Leadership #DisabilityInclusion #FutureOfWork #TechnologyForGood #AccessibleTechnology #CanadianTire #HumanCenteredDesign
ALT Photo 1: Event welcome sign for Canadian Tire Corporation’s 2026 Red Shirt Day Signature Event featuring keynote speaker David Dame and the theme “Keep the Conversation Going.”
ALT Photo 2: David Dame, wearing a Red Shirt Day t-shirt, sits in his power wheelchair beside an event participant holding a copy of his book Leading with Imperfect Feet. Both are smiling during the event.
ALT David Dame speaks during the keynote while wearing a Red Shirt Day t-shirt, seated in his power wheelchair as a microphone is held nearby during a discussion about accessibility and technology.
Dave Dame retweeted
I had the privilege to interview @DDame at an internal team event last week. Such a great book from such a great human. Highly recommend for anyone interested in growing as a leader and making more inclusive products.
@DDame 's book hit #1 in Disability Biographies.
Don't mask the imperfections. Embrace them. Dave has lived that in every room he shows up in.
He gives feedback when it's uncomfortable. He steps up when he's not sure he's ready. He takes agency instead of waiting to feel prepared. Not as a strategy. Because that's who he is.
Watching him lead, build product, and represent human-centered design at Microsoft taught me something. The things that challenge your identity are not obstacles. They are the instincts that make you a better designer, a better leader, a better person.
For me, that's a big biracial family and everything that comes with it. For years, I treated that as something to navigate. Dave helped me see it as a unique gift in how I see the world.
I've spent two years working alongside him. He's challenged me, taught me, and pushed me.
What I didn't plan on: calling him a friend and a brother from another mother. Our mothers are both Canadian so it fits 🍁
His gift is seeing what's unique in everyone he encounters and helping you pull it out of yourself. Dave has that effect on people.
He's made me a better leader. Better husband, father, brother, friend too.
This book is how Dave puts that into everyone's hands. Go get it.
#LeadingWithImperfectFeet #Leadership #DisabilityInclusion #InclusiveLeadership
Dave Dame retweeted
@DDame 's book hit #1 in Disability Biographies.
Don't mask the imperfections. Embrace them. Dave has lived that in every room he shows up in.
He gives feedback when it's uncomfortable. He steps up when he's not sure he's ready. He takes agency instead of waiting to feel prepared. Not as a strategy. Because that's who he is.
Watching him lead, build product, and represent human-centered design at Microsoft taught me something. The things that challenge your identity are not obstacles. They are the instincts that make you a better designer, a better leader, a better person.
For me, that's a big biracial family and everything that comes with it. For years, I treated that as something to navigate. Dave helped me see it as a unique gift in how I see the world.
I've spent two years working alongside him. He's challenged me, taught me, and pushed me.
What I didn't plan on: calling him a friend and a brother from another mother. Our mothers are both Canadian so it fits 🍁
His gift is seeing what's unique in everyone he encounters and helping you pull it out of yourself. Dave has that effect on people.
He's made me a better leader. Better husband, father, brother, friend too.
This book is how Dave puts that into everyone's hands. Go get it.
#LeadingWithImperfectFeet #Leadership #DisabilityInclusion #InclusiveLeadership