blog: Inclusive Design - Streets and Places for Neurodiversity
Wednesday 5th February 2025
Traditional approaches to inclusive design often overlook or misunderstand the needs of our neurodiverse population, but how can we create spaces where everyone feels safe and included?
The term “neurodivergent” describes a group of people whose brains function, learn and process information differently to the majority, leading to differences in their lived experiences and behaviour. An estimated 15% of the UK population is neurodiverse, and this percentage is largely made up of those who have a recognised condition or disability such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Tourette’s Syndrome.
Experiencing one of these conditions may fit the definition of a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010, giving legal protection from discrimination and the right to equal access and opportunities to people with neurodiversity.
Whilst traditional approaches to inclusive mobility focus on designs which accommodate physical and sensory disabilities, neurodivergent disabilities can also make public places inaccessible and are often overlooked. Many of the best practice documents that influence our designs and policies pre-date our modern understanding of neurodiversity or make vague references to neurodiversity without detailed explanations of how we can address the needs of those who experience it in our design choices. Resources that are out there are less well known and are often missed during best practice reviews.
In recent years, the private sector has been paving the way with progressive policies and facilities that make their products and services more accessible to the neurodivergent market and general population.
Innovations such as self-check outs have revolutionised the shopping experience for non-verbal people and those who experience anxiety, quiet shopping hours have made retail spaces accessible to those with sensory sensitivity and the Sunflower Lanyard scheme has raised awareness of non-visible disabilities amongst the general population.
In the transport sector, quiet rail carriages and improvements to the assisted travel service are delivering a more inclusive travel experience, supplemented by specially designed information resources such as the Autism Friendly Guide to travelling by train. UK Airports are also taking steps to become more inclusive with quiet lounges, fast track lanes and quiet-routes.
In the public realm, the needs of the UK’s neurodiverse population are less well researched and represented. Schemes which make streets more accessible to neurodivergent people often deliver improvement by coincidence rather than design.
Features such as noise absorbing green infrastructure/planting, improved signage and wayfinding and Real Time Information screens may indeed deliver positive outcomes for people with neurodiversity, but all too often this is an afterthought or evaluation outcome rather than a proactive consideration during the design process.
In both the public and private sector, inclusive infrastructure and services are all too often not supported by adequate training and enforcement, which can unintentionally lead to either abuse and over utilisation or overly stringent gatekeeping. In both cases the effectiveness and accessibility of the infrastructure or service are drastically reduced and, without due care and attention, a well-intentioned investment in accessibility can be rendered redundant. Post implementation monitoring and evaluation are essential to ensure that accessible infrastructure meets the needs of disabled people, including those who are disabled by their neurodiverse conditions. To deliver truly inclusive projects we, as planners charged with designing and delivering transport and public realm projects, need to better understand the day-to-day experiences and needs of people with neurodiversity and actively engage them in the design process. Planning and designing better places includes designing for neurodiversity, but where can we start?
Inclusive Design: The Practicalities of Designing for All
The first step is to proactively develop a good understanding of the diverse needs and preferences of all potential users through actively engaging them in the design process and making the engagement process itself, accessible.
As neurodiversity is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of conditions and experiences, there is often no single design choice which will meet the needs and preferences of all neurodiverse people, just as there is often no single design choice that meets the needs and preferences of all disabled people, including those who experience sensory, physical or neurodiverse disabilities. There may even be circumstances where different users have conflicting and competing needs and arguably one of the greatest challenges in accessible design is balancing those needs proportionately.
Universal Design Principles provide a framework to assist with the design of schemes which are user friendly to a broad range of people, including neurodiverse individuals.
- Equitable Use: The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.
- Flexibility in Use: The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.
- Simple and Intuitive Use: Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.
- Perceptible Information: The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities.
- Tolerance for Error: The design minimises hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.
- Low Physical Effort: The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue.
- Size and Space for Approach and Use: Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user's body size, posture, or mobility.
Although these principles provide some good practice guidance, more in-depth analysis of individual schemes and user testing are always recommended as there is no substitute for lived experience and specialist advice is often needed to give an accurate how compatible a design is with the Universal Design Principles.
ITP has a wealth of experience in delivering accessible design projects for public and private sector clients, including developing best practice for guide documents such as the RN21, supporting DfT with the update to their Blue Badge Guidance which clarified the eligibility of disabled people with non-visible disabilities and neurodiverse disabilities and helping local authorities to implement the guidance, assess applications and transform their Blue Badge service.
For more information on the Inclusive Mobility services ITP offers, please contact Georgia Taylor.