A Guide to Embracing Diverse Strengths in Design & Tech

💬 About the talk

In February 2024, Tech Talent Charter, the UK’s leading non-profit for diversity in tech, published its “Diversity in Tech” report. The findings showed a striking gap: while employers reported only about 3% of tech employees as having diverse cognitive profiles, a direct employee survey revealed that over half (53%) identified with such traits, with ADHD being one of the most common at 15%.

Personally diagnosed with ADHD in 2021, I initially worried the label might hold me back in my design career. Instead, it became a turning point. Embracing my cognitive differences helped me gain clarity on my needs, amplify my strengths, and reshape my approach to problem-solving and creativity. This experience affirmed a vital insight: diverse ways of thinking aren’t barriers, they’re powerful catalysts for innovation.

In this talk, I’ll share the G.R.I.T. framework: a practical, structured approach designed to empower individuals and teams by recognizing and leveraging diverse thinking styles. This framework supports unlocking unique strengths and fostering more inclusive, equitable practices across design, product, and collaborative work, by embracing varied perspectives that drive creativity and effective problem-solving.

• Gain clarity on your needs.
  • Understand your unique working style and remove the shame associated with neurodivergence or different ways of working.
• Relay your needs to others.
  • Learn how to communicate effectively with teams and leaders to advocate for the environment and resources you need to thrive.
• Identify your superpowers
  • Recognize and leverage diverse ways of thinking as strengths that boost creative problem-solving, accelerate iteration, and spark innovation in design.
• Tune and grow
  • Continuously refining your processes and communication skills, using feedback to improve your design approach over time.

The sentiment can be summarized by Morten Petterøe’s incredible article titled “[The ADHD Superpower: Channeling Hyperfocus in the Tech World](https://medium.com/@petteroe/the-adhd-superpower-channeling-hyperfocus-in-the-tech-world-eb4130ee645c#:~:text=And in the tech industry,been both challenging and rewarding.)”

“What I’ve learned is that understanding oneself early on can save a lot of stress and heartache. And in the tech industry, ADHD can indeed be a superpower. The field’s nature — with its mix of deep, focused work and periods of lighter, creative brainstorming — aligns well with the ADHD brain.”

My Story

I was 30 years old when I was diagnosed with ADHD.

Receiving a diagnosis later in life brought a wave of emotions. I grieved the past—the version of myself I thought I might have been, the potential I felt was left untapped, and the years spent carrying labels like “lazy,” “stupid,” or “lacking self-control.”

With 14 years in tech and a decade focused on design, I’ve gained a deep appreciation for the design process, leadership, and how communication shapes product success. When I was diagnosed in 2021, I worried it might hold me back, especially as I realized I could no longer “mask” the behaviors that often led to misunderstandings or unfair judgments.

But through consistent therapy, self-reflection, and support, I began to reframe those traits as vital strengths that fuel my creativity, problem-solving, and leadership. Being kind to myself was the turning point. It gave me the space to step back from the constant pressure to fit into a mold that didn’t suit me. With that compassion, I could finally take an honest look at my work process, acknowledging what wasn’t working without judgment, and begin to find ways to make it truly work for me.

I’m active in design communities and proud to mentor within LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent spaces. These experiences ground my work in real-world empathy and practical insight. I’ve seen firsthand how embracing diverse ways of thinking can unlock innovation, equity, and success, not just for me, but for so many others.