Patterns
My experience of pattern spotting as an autistic systems change practitioner.
Full disclaimer: patterns and pattern-spotting in systems thinking were utterly mysterious to me for most of my Basecamp journey. In the process of waiting for the act of pattern spotting to be demystified, the penny clumsily dropped. Daily I see my world and all the interactions within it as a series of patterns. I don’t have to work hard to find these patterns, because I am utterly attuned to seeing them. This, apparently, is a classic autistic trait as noted by Baron-Cohen et al. (2009) *:
“Talent in autism comes in many forms, but a common characteristic is that the individual becomes an expert in recognising repeating patterns in stimuli.”
Perhaps things that are obvious to me, are not so apparent to others…like the ‘duck’ emerging from the marbled swirls on the ceramic tiles on my parents’ bathroom floor. Once you see the duck, there’s no going quack (I’m so sorry).
Patterns, patterns everywhere.
It is clear that patterns and pattern spotting are a big deal in the world of systems thinking. Understandably so. If you’re going to try to change a system, you first need to understand how it works. So much of how a system works hinges on the patterns that manifest in its processes, behaviours and materiality. My thinking is that if you can influence a pattern, it can shape-shift into something that ripples out and affects everything in the system and sometimes even elements beyond the boundaries of the system.
As such, patterns are powerful and without the ability to identify patterns in a system the possibility of affecting meaningful change is limited. In the literature, there is much emphasis on autistic peoples’ visual pattern spotting abilities, but in my experience it goes beyond ducks on tiles.
Patterned Behaviour
My pattern-spotting skills are most heightened when observing patterns in human behaviour, as this supports me to make sense of the otherwise mysterious world of social communication and interactions. In contexts where conversations are tethered to a topic, I can weave in and out of patterned behaviour I have previously observed and noted. In these patterns I can sense a certain logic to the rhythm of the conversation, so find it more straightforward to participate in a somewhat fluid way. As a result I excel in work contexts where discussions are boundaried and linked to my areas of expertise, but fail miserably when engaging in unpredictable small talk that seems to veer wildly in unpredictable directions.
The hard edge of ability
The above description gives the impression of a considered and intentional process of logging and acting on the patterns I observe in behaviour and social interaction. It sounds thoughtful and manageable. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. This complex process has evolved painfully and sub-consciously over a lifetime of needing to find ways to connect, engage and be heard. While it has become second-nature, there is nothing natural about the amount of effort it takes to be running this concurrent operating system alongside my native one, just to find the patterns that will unlock my access to neurotypical interactions.
This ability to spot patterns in behaviour is undoubtedly an asset in the systems change work I undertake and has been my gateway to participation, influence and validation though-out my life.
Yet I want to finish on a note that rings loud and clear with the harsh reality of requiring intense pattern spotting skills to facilitate so many aspects of daily life. This skill has become a complex workaround which is deeply entrenched in the way in which I mask and, as I’m discovering during a period of autistic burnout, currently does more harm than good. However, if I can adjust my intentions I can see a way forward where I strategically employ my pattern spotting skills and put them to use in a way that does not cause harm.
So here’s to a future in which I lean joyously into the desire to find patterns, rather than one in which the opportunity to connect with others and be heard, depends so significantly on my ability to identify patterns in behaviour.
Interested in knowing more?
This is part of a series that I’m writing following on from my Basecamp journey. I recently published my introduction to this series entitled Unpacking the system of the self. Over the coming weeks I’ll explore four more aspects of my autistic self that lend themselves well to systems thinking. Follow and subscribe to keep up-to-date as I dive into these topics:
| complexity | chaos | inclusivity | sense-making |
You can also click through the image below to access a visual map of this journey.
*Just a note to say I refer to Baron-Cohen’s research with caution. His perspectives on Autistic people and our experiences have frequently been problematic. If someone can point me to a better source exploring autism and pattern-spotting, please let me know!
