Lessons from the front line of Inclusive Design

By Jim Taylour, Head of Ergonomics

‘I’m sorry Lucy, there must be some kind of mistake, you’ve got an A for English, well done, but they’ve clearly marked your paper wrong’.

Like many others of my generation, my wife’s school reports were peppered with phrases like ‘easily distracted’, ‘finds the work a challenge’ or ‘must try harder’.  It wasn’t until she started her career in Ergonomics in the late 90’s (2 University degrees later) and was assessing others for dyslexia to help improve their work set up, she discovered she was dyslexic herself.

Since then, we’ve seen a social movement, research and reform as well as legislation and guidance including Article 24, laying down the rights of all children with varying abilities to access mainstream education.

A new generation of graduates entering the workforce with a lifetime of assistive technology, exam extensions and the normalisation of working alongside fellow students with different ways of learning, has raised expectations for support and suitably inclusive environments at work.

The Disability Discrimination Act, Equality Legislation Act and more recently, British PAS 6463 Designing for the Mind, has shifted designers’ perspectives from an afterthought of design fixes to thinking about embedding inclusion from the start of the process with expert and lived experience validation along the way. The creative rewards of neuroscience, psychology and more broadly, organisational behaviour and culture when creating attractive workspaces, is compelling.

Designing for Neurodiversity does, however, present some challenges in that human traits are complex, confusing, can change over time and well-intended solutions can potentially backfire if executed poorly. Disclosure at work and psychological safety are important factors but how the individual and organisation use that information in a positive way is still being tested with varying degrees of success.

While we push for more evidence-based design, taking a more holistic ‘inclusive’ or ‘universal’ approach to design is surely a win win (think Diversity Equality and Inclusion, ageing, multi gen, disability and accessibility). Everyone benefits from better way finding, spaces for deep focus, opportunities for social interaction and recharging. It fuels better wellness, relationships, culture and productivity at work for all. Increasing workplace physical, mental and social wellbeing, boosts employee retention and engagement. What comes first, better culture, or workspaces to encourage better culture? Probably a bit of both!

Einstein once said something along the lines of ‘tell a goldfish its whole life it has to climb a tree, and it’s going to feel pretty stupid’.  Workplaces need to create environments where everyone can do their best work in the jobs and habitats that suit them most. It requires choice and carefully curated zoning with thoughtful wellness inspired design and most importantly some education on how to use them within organisations that have a healthy culture exuding respect, empathy and inclusion.