7 tips for preparing an inclusive design thinking workshop

Based on lessons learned from people who are autistic…

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Last week I had a really useful learning experience via twitter. I read a thread about the experience of an autistic person, (twitter username: A_Typical_Psychiatrist), while they were attending a course. It provided a fascinating insight into something I had been ignorant about before — the effort autistic people put into “autistic masking” in order to “fit in” with people who aren’t autistic, often referred to as neurotypical or allistic people.

It led me to wonder if there was more I could do to ensure the design thinking workshops I run would provide as comfortable an experience as possible for everyone. As design thinking workshops usually involve a lot of collaborative activities and ideation, and generate lots of noise and energy in the room, I wondered about the impact on someone who is autistic. (For a great example of how the principles that inform a design thinking workshop can work, read this post by Laura Hilliger.)

Note: I have asked permission from all those I quote in this post. I have also been asked to note that the comments were provided in an informal capacity, based on personal experience, and that neither they nor my thoughts constitute professional advice.

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The experience the individual shared about autistic masking sounded exhausting and very limiting to them as an individual. To get a sense of the extent of what is involved in achieving it, please read A_Typical_Psychiatrist’s thread (accessible via the linked tweet below). Just some of the things they mention includes: working non-stop to sit still; avoiding blinking at their normal rate and aligning to the blink rate of the surrounding ‘neurotypical’ people; aligning posture with those around; trying to amplify the voice of the speaker; and dealing with the sensory overload of all the things going on in the room.

In short autistic masking involves doing so much other stuff that the energy required to take in the subject of a course, or contribute to a workshop as well, must be huge. On top of that, as another contributor to the conversation, Joseph, pointed out, “even if we didn’t mask, the sheer amount of sensory and information input in such a short time is itself overwhelming. And those two issues can feed off each other a lot, as well. Ex there’s times I’ve gone to similar events and not worn sunglasses inside or not taken my ear defenders for fear of looking visibly different.

As a result courses, workshops and conferences are hard due to:

1. Pressure to mask
2. Sensory overload that we can’t avoid because the venue/event is inaccessible (ex the only place to sit is in a packed crowd)
3. Sensory and social overload that we could avoid but don’t feel comfortable avoiding for fear of social repercussions”

Clearly these pressures negatively impact the person but in terms of a design thinking workshop, they must also lessen the results the group can achieve as well because inevitably they will lessen how much the autistic person can contribute.

Although I believe I embed inclusive practices in my workshops, the story highlighted to me that there is more I can do when considering people who are autistic. As there may also be people in my workshops who choose not to declare this, it is important I apply these changes to all of my workshops.

I was pleased that the author of the original thread that sparked this thinking, shared my retweet with the community. As a result I received many useful suggestions and further insights, which I thought I would share here as possible ideas for how you could also make courses, workshops or other events you run more enjoyable for everyone. The ideas and reasoning for them were articulated so clearly in the replies in the thread that I’ve mostly just quoted them here in the question and answer style used (rather than paraphrasing), and added a list I have created at the end, which I intend to reference prior to future design workshops.

One of the things clarified early on in the conversation was that:

Autism is a spectrum condition (NOT a severity gradient!) meaning different Autistics will have different needs at educational workshops/events. (A_Typical_Psychiatrist)

I think something I would add to this is that from my experience, people who may be grouped as neurotypical also think and process information differently and will feel more or less comfortable in various situations. So this provided a timely reminder for me to think about the different ways in which anyone might experience anxiety during a workshop or course and what I could do to help mitigate that.

Ann Memmott provided a useful summary of things to consider:

• “Absolutely fabulous access info, including lighting types, hand drier hazards, seat types
• Provision of a truly quiet space with natural light, to retreat to
• Say it’s OK to be us
• Allow space to move
• Say what you mean
• Relax. Enjoy”

So a detailed description of the environment the workshop will take place in….

“Yes, start from outside. Work in. Anywhere they go, photograph it. Think about noise from air conditioning, or deafening traffic noise. Or chairs scraping on the floor. Or noisy hallways just next to the room. If we’re warned, we can make a decision on e.g. headphones, earplugs.” (Ann Memmott)

“A map with luminosity levels and standard decibel levels when the room is full. A room dedicated to non-conversational existence, ideally with sound dampening and low light levels.” (Indigo Specter)

What do you mean by hand drier hazards?

“Seen Dyson Airblade hand driers? The noise from those, set off suddenly, can push a good number of people into shutdown or meltdown, or PTSD-related flight. At our events, we supply hand towels where possible.” (Ann Memmott)

With regards providing a quiet space and dealing with noise, I suggested I could start the event by saying “it’s fine if any of you want to get up and move around, leave, come back…”, and comment that “we all contribute in different ways and that’s also fine.”

“Also maybe letting people know it’s ok to take off their shoes (can always spot the ND folk at conferences with no shoes) if that’s possible.” (Gillian Kearns)

Design thinking workshops generate a lot of energy and noise and rich nuanced solutions but how would you feel about this structure? Can you see challenges with it?

“From research, the challenge is other participants. Most non-autistic people make ‘snap judgements’ based on lightning-fast ‘typical’ social signalling from other workshop partners. The autistic participant will be isolated within half a second. Not joking. Use good leadership.” (Ann Memmott)

So questioning the discussion and decisions of participants? Ensuring everyone has contributed?…

What about lots of noise generated from discussion?

“Hellish. Suggest people bring noise cancelling headphones if they have some, or buy some standard pairs to borrow for the workshop. They’re not a lot of money as an investment. Even as an experienced trainer, I can’t always stay in a room during mass discussion…as I hear every conversation at once, and my brain attempts to process the lot. No filter mechanism. Fabulous for identifying possible approaching danger, in the natural world. Hopeless at decoding 15 people chatting.” (Ann Memmott)

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A_Typical_Psychiatrist added to the above with a further list of suggestions / considerations:

• “Advance logistics (signing up by deadline; getting to venue on time…)
• On-site registration & finding room/seat (would be good to be flagged for fast registration & discreetly escorted to room)
• Transitions (arriving, leaving, breaks, changing activities/seats…)
• Sensory overload (lights, noise, temperature, ventilation, driers…)
• Not being ONLINE = huge stress
• Waiting around (in crowds)
• Having to sit near lots of other people & staying still
• Unannounced content/schedule changes
• Needing frequent breaks, spent alone (designate a room or Quiet Area without explaining why)
• Listening while Autistic Masking & sensory overload (provide material in advance or early arrival+quiet room or casually ask for note-taking volunteer or allow recording…)
• Be discreet in setting up assistive listening/assistive speaking devices/easy registration/quiet areas — make it all seem perfectly normal & very matter of fact
• Do TEAM work as opposed to GROUP work (Allistics won’t notice a difference):
• …In a TEAM everyone has a defined FUNCTION; greatly reduces stress by shifting interaction from random verbal stuff to focusing on a joint TASK. Best if Autistic person selects their role in advance (leadership/ research/ secretary/ etc; may not like public speaking)
• Helpful if organizers/leaders know an attendee is Autistic, but do not “out” them!
• If more than one identified Autistic attendee, PLEASE offer them chance to know about one another & option to sit nearby / work together/ protect from crowds…”

In addition, Joseph commented:

“Beyond a lot of the sensory stuff mentioned (and also if you’re able, reducing some of those sensory triggers in addition to warning about them)

• A lot of us are visual thinkers, have trouble parsing speech with lots of background noise, etc. So having a visual thing to follow can be really helpful. At minimum a power point/similar that summarizes key info
• Captioning/transcript/etc if possible — we may take more time to process info before offering questions or analysis, so where possible offer audience participation opportunities that aren’t super time dependent. Ex a Twitter chat for questions and comments after the “talk back” at the end of the presentation had ended
• Crowds can be really scary and sensory nightmare. Think about how you could give audience members a wider personal space bubble and more room to manoeuver without bumping into each other…
• We also won’t filter flashing stage lights, auto play gifs in the presentation, etc. Minimalism in unnecessary movement and noise in the presentation itself.”

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Most of the workshops I run now are in client organisations with members of staff who know the venue and know each other (although they may not know a colleague is autistic). So while some of the ideas suggested may have already been taken care of by the client, here are 7 things I can still do when preparing for and delivering design thinking workshops:

1. Check if anyone will be attending who doesn’t know the venue. If so, prepare comprehensive information on the venue, the room and any other facilities participants might use, e.g. toilets, a canteen. Make particular note of any intense sensory inputs, such as things that produce sudden or high noise like hand driers, or bright lights. It is also helpful if a visual tour of the venue can be provided
2. Check if one or more people attending are autistic and provide an opportunity for them to sit / work together. Check if tools can be provided that could help them, e.g. assistive listening/assistive speaking devices, noise cancelling headphones
3. Ask if a designated quiet area can be provided. If asked why, explain this can be used by participants wishing to remove themselves from the noise generated by lots of conversations, or as a space to reflect and process
4. Provide an overview of the workshop in advance, including agenda, timelines, and the kinds of activities that will be involved. Provide descriptors, indicating for example that lots of discussion and noise will be generated
5. Create slides for a presentation and outline the activities. Although they can add humour, be thoughtful about looping gifs and try to avoid aything with rapidly flashing imagery. (I hold my hand over my phone or computer screen when I come across these to avoid them but this may not be possible on a big screen)
6. For activities, think about different ways people can contribute. I like to give people the option of verbal and non-verbal contribution, e.g. write ideas on a post-it, draw ideas or talk. Also think about roles people could take, eg being a note-taker; organiser, e.g. grouping ideas into themes; reviewer, e.g. noting challenges / opportunities based on the ideas, etc
7. At the start of the workshop, ask people to contribute in whatever way works best for them and let them know what to expect. Let them know: that lots of noise may be generated during the workshop; where the quiet area is for anyone wishing to take a break; that a design workshop can be quite intense and people are free to move around and contribute in ways they are comfortable with; they should make themselves comfortable, feel free to kick their shoes off etc; and that notes from the event will be collated and shared after the event

I think these simple changes / additions to my workshops could lead to a more postive experience for everyone in the room, and are quite likely to result in better outcomes from the workshop. Perhaps they could for you too?