The Neurodivergent Design Specification describes the conditions required for environments to support neurodivergent people.
It translates the principles of neurodivergent design into practical requirements for environments, systems, and institutions.
The specification builds on the Stimpunks framework, including:
- The Neurodivergent Design Framework
- The Neurodivergent Design System
- The Neurodivergent Design Methodology
Rather than adapting individuals to rigid environments, the specification focuses on designing environments that expect cognitive diversity.
Purpose of the Specification
The specification provides guidance for designing environments that support:
- sustained attention
- sensory safety
- flexible participation
- energy sustainability
- relational trust
It can be applied to:
- workplaces
- classrooms
- homes
- digital platforms
- community spaces
- institutions
The goal is not simply accessibility.
The goal is environments where neurodivergent people can thrive without masking or exhaustion.
Foundations of the Specification
The specification is grounded in several conceptual frameworks.
Ecological Models
Neurodivergent experience emerges from interacting systems.
See:
These pages explain how attention, energy, environments, and relationships interact.
Pattern Language
The specification draws on recurring patterns of neurodivergent life.
Examples include:
Patterns describe how neurodivergent systems behave.
Design Recipes
Recipes translate patterns into actionable design strategies.
Examples include:
- Designing Attention Sanctuaries
- Designing Flexible Participation
- Designing Regulation Spaces
- Designing Sensory-Safe Spaces
Recipes provide practical guidance for implementing patterns.
Core Design Requirements
The Neurodivergent Design Specification identifies several essential conditions.
Attention Stability
Environments should support sustained focus.
Design strategies include:
- minimizing interruptions
- reducing forced task switching
- enabling deep work
Relevant patterns:
- Deep Attention
- Context Switching Cost
- Attention Anchors
Sensory Safety
Sensory environments should avoid chronic overload.
This includes:
- lighting control
- acoustic management
- predictable sensory conditions
Relevant patterns:
- Sensory Load
- Sensory Safe Zones
Energy Sustainability
Participation should not require continuous depletion of energy.
Design strategies include:
- flexible pacing
- recovery cycles
- reduced masking pressure
Relevant patterns:
- Energy Accounting
- Burnout Threshold
- Energy Recovery
Flexible Participation
Participation systems should support multiple modes of engagement.
Examples include:
- asynchronous collaboration
- intermittent participation
- quiet participation options
Relevant patterns:
- Social Energy
- Intermittent Collaboration
- Parallel Presence
Environment Fit
Different cognitive styles require different environments.
Rather than forcing individuals to adapt, environments should support multiple ways of thinking and working.
Relevant patterns include:
- Environment Fit
- Monotropism
Applying the Specification
The specification can guide design at multiple scales.
Rooms and Spaces
Examples include:
- quiet rooms
- sensory regulation spaces
- deep work areas
See:
Institutions
Institutions can adopt the specification by redesigning:
- participation expectations
- communication systems
- work rhythms
- educational structures
Examples include:
- Neurodivergent Classrooms
- Neurodivergent Learning Ecosystems
Cities and Communities
At larger scales, neurodivergent design can shape entire communities.
Examples include:
- Neurodivergent Cities
- Neurodivergent Community Spaces
Toward a Neurodivergent Design Standard
The specification provides a foundation for evaluating environments.
Future work may include formal assessments such as:
- design audits
- environment diagnostics
- certification frameworks
These tools could help organizations identify whether environments meet the needs of neurodivergent participants.
A New Design Paradigm
Traditional accessibility focuses on adapting individuals to existing systems.
Neurodivergent design shifts the focus toward designing systems that expect human variation.
This approach is explored in:
Together, these ideas point toward a broader vision:
a world where environments are designed for diverse minds from the start.
