Convene, Los Angeles, CA – Photo credit: © 2018 Bilyana Dimitrova. Use of color at Convene’s Los Angeles coworking space creates visual interest while highlighting and defining seating areas as individual pods. The graphic element along the stairs ties together the spaces while assisting with wayfinding.
We are living in a time of increased neurodiversity and awareness about ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism, and others neurological states. In fact, one in eight people are considered neurodiverse but fewer than 50 percent know it. Neurodivergents tend to be high energy, out of the box thinkers, excel in a crisis, and be bold problem solvers, but navigating the modern workplace can be a challenge. Not only is designing space to be inclusive the right thing to do, there is a compelling business case for it as well. Space today needs to reflect the diverse makeup of organizations to set all up for success.
As we share this information, there are a few key questions that continually come up.
Can you give us a deeper definition of the terms “neurodivergent”?
Neurodivergent conditions include Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Dyslexia. It has been reported that up to 17 percent of the population have been diagnosed with a neurodivergent condition:
Four percent have ADD/ADHD;
One percent have Autism;
10 percent have Dyslexia;
One percent have Dyspraxia;
One percent have Tourette Syndrome.
When you consider that many conditions go undiagnosed, 17 percent is therefore likely to be conservative at best. The World Health Organization noted that the prevalence of neurological conditions is one of the greatest threats to public health.
Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a brain-based condition typically characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and or hyperactivity and impulsivity due to under-stimulation of the brain. ADHD has three different subtypes; inattentive, hyperactive and combined and often coexists with one or more comorbid conditions such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Anxiety, Depression, and Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD).
Jet Blue Airways founder David Neeleman is an ADHDer who espouses the benefits, “Just keep thinking about the positive side of ADD, the creativity and the originality that it stimulates.”
ADHDers can be particularly sensitive to sensory inputs, such as sounds, sights and smells. With a heightened sensitivity to smells, neurodivergents are often the first to detect or sense odors, hence they are the canaries in the coalmine. They can also experience challenges within social and work settings.