by luisa.lutz -

1. Design for Neurodiverent Users

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Neurodiversity_Symbol.svg

Why inclusive design matters and how we can start doing better

Design shapes the way we move, think, work, and connect with our environment and other people. It influences how we navigate often without us even noticing. Yet many design decisions whether in digital products, physical objects or architecture still assume a neurotypical user as the default.

With an estimated 15 to 20 percent of the global population being neurodivergent, this means a significant part of our society is still overlooked. Neuro-inclusive design is not a niche or an add-on. It is a core part of creating accessible, meaningful, and human-centered experiences.

This blog post explores what neurodivergence is, why it matters for design, and how we can start building environments that truly support different ways of thinking, sensing, and being.

What Is Neurodivergence?

Neurodivergence describes people whose brains process information, stimuli, or social cues differently from what is typically expected. It includes ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s, and many other variations. The word itself is not a medical term. It simply acknowledges that not all brains work the same way, and that these differences are valid.

Being neurodivergent is not an illness. It means experiencing the world through a different lens. Along with challenges, many neurodivergent people have exceptional strengths such as creativity, pattern recognition, intense focus, innovative thinking, or strong problem-solving abilities.

But because most environments are designed with neurotypical needs in mind, friction appears where it does not have to.

Common examples of challenges

Noise sensitivity
Busy open offices or loud spaces can feel overwhelming. Many people depend on noise-cancelling headphones to stay focused or simply to get through the day.

Sensory differences
Some individuals are easily overstimulated by bright lights, strong smells, or chaotic visuals. Others seek more input and need tactile or movement-based stimulation to feel regulated.

Attention and focus differences
ADHD can make task switching, organizing, or following long instructions difficult, while at the same time enabling periods of deep hyperfocus.

Social communication differences
Unspoken rules, social cues, or group interactions can be hard to navigate, especially in environments that rely on intuition and context.

Learning differences
Reading, writing, or doing math can be challenging even when intelligence is average or above average.

No neurodivergent person experiences these things in the same way. Neurodiversity is extremely individual. The real problem is not the person, but that many systems and spaces expect only one type of brain.

Why Neuro-Inclusive Design Matters

When design defaults to the “typical,” it unintentionally excludes a large part of the population.

Designing with neurodivergent needs in mind improves:

• comfort
• accessibility
• autonomy
• ease of use
• emotional well-being

And importantly, inclusive design shouldn’t create separate solutions. It focuses on flexibility, options, and environments that adapt to different needs. When we design with neurodivergent users in mind, experiences become better for everyone.

Examples of Neuro-Inclusive Design

1. Adaptive furnishing in physical spaces
Furniture and spatial layout directly influence sensory comfort and attention. Offering a mix of soft seating, modular furniture, beanbags, standing options, or quiet corners makes a space more welcoming for different nervous systems. These choices allow people to self-regulate, whether they need calm, movement, or a different type of sensory input.

2. Reducing cognitive load in digital design
Digital interfaces can either support or overwhelm. For people with ADHD for example, keeping track of passwords or understanding unclear error messages can be exhausting.
Design can help by offering:
• clear, friendly error messages
• the option to save passwords
• login links via email
Small adjustments like these reduce cognitive load and frustration, improving usability for all users.

3. Reducing working memory load
Designs that minimize what people need to remember make experiences more inclusive.
Checklists, reminders, autofill, tagging systems or saved preferences help users stay organized without relying solely on memory.

4. Multiple ways to absorb or provide information
Neurodivergent people process information differently. Giving users options improves accessibility for everyone.
Examples include text combined with icons use an easy readable font, captions on videos, simple infographics, or voice input for people who struggle with typing.

5. Clear visual structure and predictable layouts
Many neurodivergent users rely on consistent, easy-to-scan interfaces. Predictable layouts reduce cognitive load and help people stay oriented.
Useful design choices include clear headings, simple navigation that stays in the same place, generous whitespace and labels that say exactly what they mean.

6. Sensory-friendly lighting in physical spaces
Lighting can make or break someone’s ability to focus. Adjustable warm lighting, flicker-free LEDs or access to natural light help reduce sensory overwhelm. Offering dimmer switches or “low-stim” areas gives people control over their environment.

Include Neurodivergent Users in the Process

The most important principle of neuro-inclusive design is to Design with neurodivergent people, not just for them. This means involving them during the design process and not just in the end. Their lived experience is essential. Their insights reveal real barriers, real needs, and real opportunities for better design.

References

„Neurodivergence: what it is, symptoms and treatment“. Zugegriffen: 16. November 2025. [Online]. Verfügbar unter: https://www.topdoctors.co.uk/medical-dictionary/neurodivergence/

„Neurodivergent: What It Is, Symptoms & Types“, Cleveland Clinic. Zugegriffen: 16. November 2025. [Online]. Verfügbar unter: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/23154-neurodivergent

„Inclusive Design for Neurodiversity: Creating Harmonious Spaces for a Diverse Future“, modulyss. Zugegriffen: 16. November 2025. [Online]. Verfügbar unter: https://modulyss.com/en-INT/inclusive-design-for-neurodiversity-creating-harmonious-spaces-for-a-diverse-future

R. East, „How to Design for Neurodiversity“, Showcase PSR. Zugegriffen: 16. November 2025. [Online]. Verfügbar unter: https://showcase-psr.co.uk/how-to-design-for-neurodiversity/

Ryan.Taylor, „How neurodivergent-friendly design transforms modern workplaces“, Support for neurological conditions | The Brain Charity. Zugegriffen: 16. November 2025. [Online]. Verfügbar unter: https://www.thebraincharity.org.uk/neurodivergent-friendly-design/

Australian Psychological Society, Designing Neurodiverse inclusive events: Creating accessible experiences for all. 2024.

Note: This text was developed with the assistance of artificial intelligence for research purposes and to refine the linguistic clarity and flow of the final draft.

by karen.johannesen -

Positive Design for Homelessness

Growing up I noticed how people saw homeless as an annoyance and inconvenience where they were asking for help outside grocery stores or train stations. I grew up with discussions on the ban of begging and sleeping in public spaces. Movies displayed homelessness as a dystopian, dirty world, fueled with narcotics. In my later years I learned about Hostile Design – where benches are designed in such a way where one can’t comfortably sleep on them. Everywhere homelessness would be seen as a problem. A distance between “us” and “them” was created, a divided community. 

This summer I travelled across the ocean to enjoy Irish folk music, while Cillian sang his heart out on the street to earn enough for today’s meal. I paid to watch a sheepherding demonstration in the Irish countryside, while Molly was begging for money on O’Connell Street to feed her dog. I paid well over a hundred euro to sleep in the dorms of Trinity College, while Dublin is undergoing a shelter crisis. As I am learning to think on my own I am also learning to see everyone for who they are, simply humans trying to get by. I would like to help those that are less privileged, those who make themselves so vulnerable because they have no other option. 

What I wish to focus on in my research is how design can help tighten the local communities – the relationship between the homeless and those who are not, which then also can result in a stronger feeling of dignity and independence for the homeless. Research questions could include:

  • How can Positive Design and Interaction Design be used to create/improve a service/product that …
    • strengthens the local community?
    • creates a stronger sense of dignity and independence for the homeless?

Existing Design 

Several services and products exist or are being developed today to make the days pass by more easily for those who are sleeping rough. Help stations provide services like food stations where meals are prepared or groceries can be picked up. In the United States there is a program called SNAP where homeless are given a card that can be used to buy their own groceries, while also providing other helpful services (United States Department of Agriculture, n.d.). 

Previous research includes researching and creating UX design for applications aiding the homeless (Burrows et al., 2019) and those working for organizations providing shelters to the homeless (Pratt, 2024). Other various designs that can aid the homeless in their daily life that have been researched are small shelters and lockers to keep them and their belongings safe (Makris, 2024). Maps have been distributed that include an overview of important resources (Kennedy, 2016), and in some countries one can find trash bins with spaces for cans to be placed so that they can more easily collect “pfand” to earn some money to get by.

Image of Hostile Design in Detroit. Bench with no space for lying down.

Figure 1: Example image of Hostile Design (Davison, 2023)

Image of man picking up bottle from "pant"/"pfand" holder on trashbin

Figure 2: Example image of trash can with space for “pfand” (KBH Pant, 2015)

Relevance for the Design Fields

Positive design has a goal to increase the happiness and well being of individuals. It’s about designing for pleasure – to design comforting and joyful experiences, to design for personal significance – to design for goals and aspirations, and design for virtue – to design for good behaviour (Desmet & Pohlmeyer, 2013). These are all qualities that are important to keep in mind when you are designing a service or product for a community that is meant to bring joy, to inspire and promote good behaviour.

When it comes to focusing on the particular target group of the ones sleeping rough I find it important to design fields as one to this day still finds hostile design in our infrastructure, and it can be hard to know where and how to provide the best help. In the light of the topic of inclusivity, the homeless, alongside other groups, have their own specific needs that should be put into consideration when designing for the general population.

Future research process

In the first phase of the research I will have to go deeper into exploring the topic, I will need to gain a better understanding of the different problems and needs of the target groups (both the homeless, and those who are not) and to look at and categorise various approaches. From here I can try to narrow down the problems, and choose an approach to focus on. This might include some changes to the research question and sub-questions. A literature review could also be helpful thereafter to find relevant papers. Eventually I will have a more clear goal and can move to the phase of the research process where I can gather some data. 

When gathering data both qualitative and quantitative information gathering may be useful in order to understand perspectives and outlooks on the problem within a community. This could be done with one to one interviews or surveys with open ended questions (qualitative) or a typical survey with close ended questions (quantitative). As I aim to look at the problem from a community based outlook the target groups include both the homeless and those who are not.

When researching and gathering data there are several institutions that could be helpful to use or get in contact with. Besides looking for research papers through Google Scholar, there are various organizations both in Austria and Norway that could be contact points. Caritas, Red Cross/Røde Kors, Erlik, Asfalt and International Network of Street Papers, could be some.

Research Challenges

As I see it the first challenge will be to limit the research scope and questions. Later comes problems related to data gathering. Here the main challenge will be communication with the target group, the homeless. First of all I do not speak German well which can cause communication barriers. Secondly, it’s a vulnerable group that lacks the safety most of us take for granted and are always exposed to various kinds of exploitation, communication should therefore be done in a space in which they feel safe and comfortable.

Sources