Paving the Path for Neurodiversity in Design
Summary
The Design Operations remit is huge, and since championing and empowering neurodivergents in the workplace, multiple people have asked me why this is something I'm working on, and I always give the same answer: "because someone needs to". It's also within every Design leader's remit to make sure their team is an accessible place to work, and that they put the right measurements in place to support their team to the fullest. As a Design Operations Manager, an empath, and an ally, I'm the one starting the conversation in our workplace, but it's something every individual should be supporting. Design Operations is about listening, researching, and finding areas for improvement. We have to change our offering depending on the person, team and time. Since the pandemic, there's been an increase in adult women being diagnosed with ADHD; it’s finally being recognised and diagnosed outside of the stereotype of the naughty little boy in school, and this is something organisations need to recognise and adapt their processes to. This presentation talks about the ways we've identified some of the people we need to support, how we're supporting them, and how we're creating broader awareness.
Key Insights
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About 15% of the population is neurodiverse, approximating 1 in 7 people.
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Women are diagnosed with ADHD much later (late 30s to 40s) than men (around age 7), reflecting diagnostic biases.
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Onboarding processes designed for neurotypical people can unintentionally hinder neurodiverse employees’ success.
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Structured onboarding checkpoints and formal feedback channels reduce anxiety and rejection sensitivity among neurodiverse new hires.
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A needs assessment allows neurodiverse individuals to articulate their working preferences without fear of being a burden.
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Time blindness common in ADHD makes clear deadlines, phased information delivery, and checklists crucial for task management.
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Comorbidities like anxiety and autism spectrum disorder often coexist with ADHD, complicating support needs.
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Personalized workshops using tools like Manual of Me improve team understanding and communication with neurodiverse colleagues.
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Safe community spaces for neurodiverse staff enable peer support and foster trust to share experiences openly.
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Redefining success criteria to be inclusive of neurodiverse working styles is vital to employee retention and growth.
Notable Quotes
"I honestly just didn’t know what I didn’t know at the start."
"15% of the population I thought to be neurodiverse — that’s one in seven people."
"The most common age for women to be diagnosed with ADHD is in the late thirties to early forties."
"Our processes were scrappy for an assumed neurotypical person, so adding neurodiversity made it overwhelming."
"It is everyone’s job to care about and contribute to making our workplaces an inclusive environment for all."
"People with ADHD are constantly chasing things that give them dopamine, which impacts motivation."
"The anxiety and emotional dysregulation create a perfect storm that makes change feel overwhelming for neurodiverse people."
"Information processing can be different for people with ADHD; sometimes they just need to talk through information."
"When you ask ‘When was the last time you asked this question?’ it can trigger panic in someone with anxiety."
"There is no big idea — sometimes we just need to get the basics right and reset expectations."
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