Mel Green writes poignantly on OpenLearn that neurodiversity refers to the natural diversity of human minds. Brains and patterns of neurocognition vary among all individuals. These variations are normal and valuable, and they should be recognised and respected in the same way as any other human variation.
Current estimates suggest that between fifteen and twenty percent of the world population is neurodiverse. Yet environments, products and social interactions are mostly shaped by, with and for the eighty to eighty five percent of people who fall within what society labels as neurotypical. This imbalance can be profoundly disabling for neurodiverse people. It is often the design of a system, and not the person, that creates the barrier.
Modulyss, a Belgian soft furnishing company that specialises in neuro inclusive design, explains that neurotypical individuals tend to share patterns of thinking, social behaviour and communication that fit existing social expectations. These expectations then shape our approach to design. Designers often begin with assumptions about how people understand space, information and interaction, Modulyss writes. Neurodiverse people may not share those assumptions, and as a result the designed world can feel foreign, exhausting or even hostile.
Neurodiversity includes a wide range of conditions, Mel Green informs us, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia and Bipolar Disorder. The repeated use of the word disorder is uncomfortable. It implies that the individual is not in order, rather than that the surrounding systems and expectations are misaligned. There is growing evidence that neurodiverse individuals offer unique strengths, capacities and perspectives that are not only valuable but essential in a complex society.
I was struck by a quote in the Modulyss blog: “Neurodivergent individuals have a tendency to explore rather than exploit”. This idea comes from James March’s organisational learning theory, which contrasts two modes of thinking.
Exploitation refers to the refinement of what already works. It involves improving, optimising and repeating established approaches. In design this might mean taking an existing service and making it faster, smoother or cheaper.
Exploration involves seeking out alternatives, asking new questions, experimenting and imagining what does not yet exist. Explorative designers challenge the assumption that a given service should exist at all. They might reimagine a need, a process or an entire system.
Neurodivergent designers often excel in this second mode when they experience psychological safety and autonomy. Research in psychology and neuroscience shows that ADHD is associated with increased exploratory behaviour. This includes novelty seeking and a heightened sensitivity to changing or surprising stimuli. These tendencies can support creative leaps, fresh insights and risk tolerant thinking. People with Autism Spectrum conditions often engage in deep, focused exploration. They may investigate a narrowly defined area with an intensity and precision that can reveal patterns and solutions others might overlook. This is exploratory work of a different kind. It is not necessarily motivated by change or risk but by depth, clarity and a drive for understanding. Both behaviours are commonly found in divergent and convergent design processes respectively. Neurodiverse individuals might just be better at them compared to the eighty percent!
Recognising and developing these strengths in neurodiverse designers has far reaching implications. If the design of our world continues to be shaped mainly by neurotypical assumptions, we reinforce disabling structures and miss out on significant creative potential.
I will return to neuro inclusive design in future posts. I plan to explore how differences in executive functioning and sensory processing shape the experiences and contributions of neurodiverse individuals, and how design education and practice can better support them.
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