Inspiration user case study: I am a Grand Master of Inspiration

Inspiration isn’t just for the workplace or education. We also have users who rely on it in their home lives to make everyday tasks more manageable and to combat stress, and even suggest that Inspiration improved their marriage!

Like Daniel Poulin, a retired building mechanic, who used to depend on Inspiration to create ‘manuals’ for his work detailing how all the different equipment worked. These manuals were in the form of visual diagrams and clearly demonstrated how to use the range of equipment, as well as possible causes of breakdowns and the best solutions to choose from.

Daniel, who refers to himself as a ‘Grand Master’ of Inspiration (and we agree!), first got the software more than 14 years ago, starting with version 7, and says he’s “seen a lot of changes to it over the years!” Now he relies heavily on it at home where his wife has become a fan, too. He told us that jobs around the house can be easily managed through Inspiration diagrams, and he can take his share of the workload.

Daniel’s wife once asked if ‘his boss thought the diagrams were a waste of time’ but now she is a convert and uses Inspiration as visual instruction aids for using tech that she doesn’t ordinarily feel comfortable using. He said, “Now, she understands the importance of a diagram to remember the process of connecting tech she only uses a few times a year. She even managed to connect a particular device correctly on the first try by following the visual steps in the Inspiration diagram.”

What are the challenges that Inspiration helps you with, and what are the tasks you use it for?

“Without Inspiration, our technological life and our somewhat atypical family life would be much more difficult. But today, everything complex in our lives benefits from a nice, neat diagram! Having a list, especially when you're not neurotypical, makes it more real than having it just in our minds. I use Inspiration for making lists for all kinds of things like producing tax reports and car maintenance issues.”

Sometimes users like to go between different AT software for their projects, but Daniel likes to rely on Inspiration from start to finish and says, “As someone with ADHD and Asperger's, I find it really fun! I like to exploit every possibility of the software.”

Daniel says Inspiration is invaluable to him; he even creates games on it as a way of unwinding and removing daily stresses. He has created games for TechEdology, such as a Christmas game called Tangled and his version of Chess. Daniel says Inspiration shouldn't be underestimated in how it could help students learn a new language and understand maths concepts.

"I am a Grand Master of Inspiration! "

Daniel, who has autism and ADHD, says Inspiration is invaluable to him for organisation, creating games to tackle stress, and even household chores.