The adage "don't know what you've got till it's gone" came home in spades in the aftermath of an ankle fracture sustained while traveling in Europe. It is amazing how much we never think about … until we must. The logistical minutiae of my return to Canada reflected in microcosm how much detail we tend to overlook in the activities and projects we undertake day to day - and reminded me of the need for specific information whenever we plan ahead, no matter what the scope of the tasks at hand. With many thanks to the airline staffers who pushed me (with crutches clutched in hand and bag perched on lap) through 4 airports, let me illustrate:
* What is the nature of the surfaces I'm going to be traversing (door thresholds, mats, rugs, marble, gravel, uneven sidewalks, curbs)? Is it even safe to use the crutches?
* How on earth do I get through that giant, and for an inexperienced crutch user dizzyingly fast, revolving door? Who knew there's a button at the side to slow down its speed, as a passerby showed me the second time around?
* When I do get inside the terminal, is there a place to sit while I plot my strategy for "activating" the wheelchair service I requested from the airline? The service commences at the checkin counter, not
before. If it weren't for my sister running to the counter on my behalf, I would have been reduced to flagging down any uniformed individual passing by my bench inside the terminal doors!
* How far is row 28 from the airplane entry door? It sounds as if it's way down, maybe I ought to ask again for a seat near the front ... oh no, wait, the particular plane model I'll be flying in has a second door at the back!
* Will the other passengers mind if I cling to their arm or back rests to get to and from my seat (safer than using crutches inside a plane)? Of course not, the white aircast is pretty obvious - but still.
* How far will the wheelchair service take me in the destination airport? All the way out to the taxi stand, thank goodness!
I have now received a striking illustration of the value of thorough advance information. Whenever we orient others, design websites, or otherwise carry out our professional functions, it helps to think it through: What else does my client need to be alerted to? What assumptions am I (possibly mistakenly) making about what he or she knows? What isn't likely to be familiar, given the differences, say, between practices in various countries? What little details could potentially cause difficulty if they are not made explicit?
Details, details. They matter.
