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, yet many, especially women, remain undiagnosed or diagnosed late.
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Neurodiverse onboarding needs structured checkpoints and ongoing support to reduce anxiety and feelings of rejection.
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Women with ADHD are often diagnosed much later (late 30s or 40s) compared to men (around age 7), affecting workplace accommodations.
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Fear of sharing neurodivergence due to stigma results in under-disclosure; manager-led safe spaces are critical for open communication.
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Custom communication methods, like segmented checklists, help neurodiverse employees overcome cognitive overload and time blindness.
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Creating peer support groups for neurodiverse employees fosters community, shared learning, and emotional safety.
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Redefining success criteria beyond typical priorities (start times, meeting norms) is crucial to fairly evaluating neurodiverse employees.
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Using tools like 'Manual of Me' workshops enables team understanding of neurodiverse colleagues’ needs and improves collaboration.
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Comorbidities such as anxiety and autism spectrum disorder often coexist with ADHD, complicating support needs.
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Manager training and education on neurodiversity unlocks employee potential and reduces stigma across organizations.
Notable Quotes
"I honestly just didn’t know what I didn’t know about neurodiversity at the start."
"About 15% of the population is thought to be neurodiverse — that’s one in seven people."
"The most common age for women to be diagnosed with ADHD is in their late thirties to early forties."
"Our onboarding processes were scrappy and built assuming neurotypical people."
"It is everyone’s job to care about and contribute to making our workplaces inclusive, no matter your role."
"People with ADHD are constantly chasing dopamine, which impacts motivation and focus."
"Fear of failure and rejection sensitivity can make receiving feedback extremely challenging for neurodiverse employees."
"Using checklists with clear deadlines and phased information helped reduce cognitive overload and anxiety."
"Francis described everyday tasks like brushing her teeth in 17 steps, illustrating how breakdown helps manage complexity."
"It’s okay to ask questions and admit ignorance — no one knows all the answers when supporting neurodiverse colleagues."
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