NeuroSpectrum
User-center design | Product design | Inclusive design
Individual Project (Mar. 2024 - Sep. 2024)
A set of activities and multisensory (visual, tactile and auditory) puzzles for students to eliminate misconceptions around neurodiversity and celebrate everyone’s unique mindsets.
Design Challenges
Problem
The exclusion, harrassment and/or bullying of neurodivergent students in middle school.
Personal Experience
Growing up in New Zealand (NZ), I often saw "special" figures in my school — students who, sometimes accompanied by a support teacher, sat apart from the rest of us. They behaved differently and barely having peer relationships. I always wished for a better understanding of their world.
Although the project’s research and tests are grounded in NZ, the outcomes are potentially applicable to countries promoting inclusive education.
Desktop Research
Interviews
Persona
Both students have just started their Year 8 at Auckland Grammar School and they are all new to their classmates.
Insights
Design Aim
Instead of ‘healing’ neurodivergent individuals to fit the social norms of neurotypical individuals, could we educate all students to understand and appreciate differences by reducing social barriers caused by sensory differences and varied understandings?
Design Goal
Play by All
Encourage Uniqueness
Multi-sensory
The neurodivergent student should not be the only user or opposite user of the neurotypical students
Students’ discussion and creation should be guided but not predetermined. Free actions is encouraged.
Have more than one way to communicate therefore reduce language barriers. However, it is important to make sure it is not over-stimulating that would cause sensory overload.
Experiments
Colour and Visual Experiment
I created a variety of distinctive shapes and forms to support the communication of feelings and moods.
By asking people to use the visuals to express themselves: , I selected 5 basic shapes, 12 additional shapes, and 6 different materials to further explore.
Puzzle Shape Experiment
I printed and tested several shapes to ensure the safety and accessibility.
Material Experiment
Materials were tested to be able to communicate a diverse range of feelings.
User Testing
Fabrication
Colour Accessibility Test
Workshop Process Design
Instruction Booklet Design