What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is a term to describe people whose brains work differently to those of people considered “neurotypical”.

Conditions such as autism, ADHD / ADD, dyslexia, dyspraxia (affects physical coordination), dyscalculia (difficulty in understanding numbers), bipolar and Tourette syndrome. It's common for neurodivergent people to have coexisting conditions.

About 15% to 20% of the population is thought to be neurodivergent, but diagnoses for some conditions have increased significantly in recent years, including among adults. 

Neurodivergence = strengths as well as challenges

These conditions are often labeled as a disability, however the concepts of neurodivergence and neurodiversity recognise that people with these conditions often have particular strengths as well as challenges. For instance, while dyslexic people may struggle with literacy, they often excel at 3D visual thinking and have strong verbal skills. People with ADHD can sometimes struggle with time management, however they can also excel at creative tasks.

Neurodiversity in the workplace

Commercially, it makes a lot of sense to ensure that workplaces work well for neurodivergent people:

“neurodiverse teams show higher adaptability levels. This is because they leverage diverse perspectives and problem-solving approaches to address complex issues both quickly and efficiently.”. In other words, as workplaces automate, neurodiverse teams are going to be well-placed to meet the challenges ahead. -- FT.com

Read more about how we can help you develop a commercial space which is design with neurodiversity in mind.

Leisure spaces designed truly for everyone

Often, leisure spaces are not designed to include consideration for those with neurodiversity. This means that up to 20% of the available audience may not feel comfortable in these spaces and may not even want to go or to return. 

Designing these commercial spaces with neurodiversity tweaks isn't difficult, read more about how we can help.