When I interned at Microsoft as a program management intern in 2019, one of the first questions my mentor had for me was how I wanted to set up my tech internship desk as a PM intern with low vision and photophobia. At first, I wasn’t sure what to ask for, especially since I didn’t know what other people’s offices looked like, but I was able to find an office set up that worked well for me and that closely mirrored the environment I was used to working in. Here is how I set up my internship desk as a PM intern with low vision, based on my experiences in the program management internship at Microsoft.
Some background on my office
About two months before the start of my tech internship, I received an email from the business administrator for my team that shared the name/number of the building I was working in, as well as my office number. While some interns have shared offices, I had my own office with a door that was adjacent to offices for both my manager and assigned mentor. Prior to my first day, my mentor and business administrator both reached out offering to modify my office or request any items that would help me to be successful in my internship.
I had met my mentor in-person prior to receiving this email, and they were already aware that I have low vision and a neurological condition. I did not need to submit any other disability related documentation to request modifications.
Related links
- How I Set Up My College Desk With Low Vision
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
- How To Create Accessible Workspaces For Chiari Malformation
- How I Explain My Brain With Chiari Malformation
- Classes That Prepared Me For A Microsoft PM Internship
Surface Dock: external monitor, keyboard, and mouse
I didn’t have any say in what laptop I was given for my internship, but I did get to set it up myself and configure accessibility settings. I was provided a Microsoft Surface Book with a 15-inch screen, and would connect it to a Surface Dock which has an external keyboard, mouse, and 42-inch monitor. If I was in my office, the laptop remained connected to the Surface Dock, which made it easier for me to work with multiple programs and enlarge information on the screen.
I wish I had requested a different laptop with a 13-inch screen instead, because I couldn’t carry my laptop with limited hand strength— I would have to carry my laptop in a backpack if I wanted to bring it to a meeting. However, I loved my Surface Dock and accessories, and would gladly use another Surface computer— I purchased a Surface Dock on my own after my internship ended and love it!
Related links
- Choosing New Devices With Chiari Malformation
- Questions To Ask When Choosing A Laptop For College
- How To Use High Contrast in Windows 10 and Windows 11
- Low Vision Accessibility Settings For Windows 10
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Computers
External camera
There were a few instances where I had to magnify information presented at a distance or something else on a page, and having an external camera helped a lot with this. When enlarging information at a distance, I would position the camera near the area of interest and connect it either wirelessly or with a USB cable to my laptop, zooming in on information as needed. For magnifying paper materials on my desk, I would position the camera downward and turn my laptop into a video magnifier, or use the camera to take a picture and scan in a copy.
I typically used an external webcam with an adjustable stand at work, but there are several other camera options available, including options for video magnifiers and using smartphones.
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
- How I Use Microsoft Lens With Low Vision
- iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
- How I Use My Phone As Assistive Technology In Class
Adjustable height desk
Also known as a standing desk, using an adjustable height desk made it easier for me to position my device screen and keyboard in a way that feels comfortable. If I didn’t want to use the standard office chair with an adjustable height, I could choose an alternative seating option and adjust my desk accordingly.
I wasn’t allowed to choose the color of my tech internship desk, but if I had been able to, I would have asked for any color that isn’t white, because I would often lose white papers, whiteboards, and other white-colored items on the surface of my desk and have trouble locating them quickly. After I accidentally got marker on my desk while drawing on white paper, I added a small dark-colored pad to provide increased contrast.
Related links
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- Paper Colors And Low Vision
- How To Create Accessible Workspaces For Chiari Malformation
Dry-erase board on the wall
I’ve noticed that my handwriting is much neater when I write on a vertical surface, and having a dry-erase board on the wall was super helpful for drawing outlines/brainstorming, writing notes and to-do lists, or just working through different parts of the design process. I also had a smaller dry-erase board at my desk and used a digital whiteboard for notes as well.
Related links
- What’s In My Backpack: Program Management Intern With Low Vision
- How I Use Microsoft Whiteboard With Low Vision
- Dry-Erase Eraser Alternatives For Low Vision
- Assistive Technology For Dysgraphia
Extra desk and chairs for small meetings
Instead of traveling to another location for meetings, I would host small meetings in my office with the feature team or other employees so that I could use my external monitor and keyboard for writing on my laptop, or have other team members mirror their screens on the larger monitor so that I could better see what they were looking at. I kept an extra desk and a few chairs in my office so people would have a place to sit and rest their laptops.
Adjustable lighting
Some of the overhead lights had a flicker effect, so my office featured a few adjustable lighting options, including a lamp for additional surface lighting. I also asked to have the automatic on/off sensor disabled so that I didn’t have to worry about lights suddenly turning on or off, which can be disorienting with photophobia (light sensitivity).
Related links
- Lighting And Low Vision
- Smartphone Accessibility Settings For Photosensitivity
- Flashing Lights and Photosensitivity in the Classroom
- Environmental Accommodations For Low Vision Students
Signs on the door
“Decorating” my office door with some large print signs helped me locate my office more easily by having a visual landmark. At one point during my first week, I realized that if I was working on the dry-erase board, the door could open and hit me, so the first sign asked visitors to knock on the closed door before opening in case I was using the dry-erase board on the other side.
Another sign encouraged guests to identify themselves when they first come in my office so that I knew who they were, which was helpful when I was still getting to know different people on the team. To add some humor, I wrote the following message:
“I am a reverse ninja: you can see me, but I can’t see you. Please identify yourself when saying hi! For example, ‘hi Veronica, this is (blank)’.”
Related links
- How To Approach Someone with Low Vision Without Scaring Them
- How To Be An Effective Human Guide For People With Vision Loss
- How I Learned To Navigate My Internship Building With Low Vision
Other things I did to set up my internship desk at Microsoft
- I kept dry-erase markers and permanent/paper markers in two separate containers so that I didn’t have to worry about accidentally using the wrong markers.
- One of my tricks for maintaining eye contact on a webcam is to add a small object above the camera for my eyes to focus on. At Microsoft, I used a rubber duck, but I’ve also used stuffed animals, stickers, and other colorful objects.
- I would hang my blindness cane on a Command hook next to the door so I could retrieve it as needed— this is one of the Twelve Blindness Cane Storage Solutions I recommend
Published May 7, 2022. Updated December 2023