Written by Lisa Walker-Brook, Principal Data Analyst at Info.Blueprint.
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterised by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity symptoms. Individuals with ADHD often can think quickly, multitask effectively, and exhibit high levels of creativity and spontaneity.
Autism: Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), impacts how a person communicates and relates to others. It can also impact how they experience the world around them. Individuals on the autism spectrum often have exceptional abilities in visual and spatial reasoning, pattern recognition, and attention to detail.
Generally, throughout history neurodiverse individuals have been marginalised, misunderstood, and often stigmatised.
I was diagnosed as AuDHD (both Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD) at a very late stage of my career, and I felt such relief. Some people who are diagnosed as Neurodivergent become quite depressed out of sadness that they have been misunderstood all their lives. However, for many it can give clarity on why they are the way they are. The neurodiverse are not ‘difficult’, their brain just fires differently and people who perceive those behaviours as negative may be receiving it through the lens of their own experiences.
Many Neurodivergent women now refuse to ‘mask’ or ‘fawn’: both behaviours used to hide behind to comply with the societal expectations for a woman.
However, to navigate successfully without masking also requires society accepting our different ways of communicating. It means not allowing others to equate assertiveness with aggression. It means calling out ableism and sexism masquerading as etiquette. It means not shying away from our intensity or our honesty for the discomfort of others. It means honouring neurodivergent communication styles and focussing on what is being said instead of how it is being said.
Once you start to understand which ‘idiosyncrasies’ are due to Neurodiversity, you may start to feel that instead of a disability, these skills can be applied as a superpower. Some Neurodiverse people object to the use of the term ‘superpower’ in relation to Neurodiversity as they feel it invalidates their requirements for support. However, many Neurodiverse people need support and accommodation to be able to manage their Neurodiversity but can apply the skills in detailed concentration and pattern recognition to their advantage.
Pattern recognition: I have severe near-sightedness so it always struck me as ironic when my employers called me ‘Hawkeye’ because I could spot an issue in a data set, a presentation, a document or email instantly. One of the key attributes of Neurodiversity is Pattern Recognition. Many of us can scan through a huge data set and very quickly spot the issues. Trend analysis is also something that is enhanced with neurodiverse skills. We may spot something that is minor but is repetitive across multiple time periods.
Heightened focus and detail oriented: Hyperfocus is common among many neurodiverse individuals, particularly those with ADHD. It refers to an intense form of mental concentration or engagement that allows individuals to delve deeply into a subject or task for an extended period. When someone with neurodivergence ‘locks in’ to a task they can often complete it in less time than others can. If this ‘lock in’ is disrupted and the concentration is broken, it may take longer for the neurodiverse than it does neurotypical people to get back to that point and disruption may result in dysregulation. The neurodiverse also need to build in time to regulate themselves.
During a data migration, testing is done across multiple stages and environments. A template already prepared with cells to capture the testing date, database name, the server and other metadata ensures that you can refer easily to these distinct documents with traceability of when and where any checks were applied. This allows you to easily identify where a data issue was created or appeared during the data lineage. Application of strict naming conventions to documents and artifacts results in consistency for the project. Consistency is something that brings comfort to the Neurodiverse.
Innovation and creativity: Neurodiverse individuals often excel in divergent thinking and creative problem-solving and think ‘outside of the box’. The technical members of the team often get bogged down in the approach they have always followed. The neurodivergent can often find a more logical & simpler course to resolve issues. The approach may not be the traditional method, but it may still be applicable.
Persistence: Many neurodivergent people can learn anything quickly and easily if they have the resources available as input. The challenge is not to undervalue their intelligence or abilities. I’ve been called a ‘terrier’ because once something is on my radar, I will not give up until I have an answer to my questions (no matter how annoying I am perceived to be).
Visualisation: not all ND people have the ability, but many can visualise or conceptualise in 3D. This skill makes Data Migrations and Data Modelling easier to understand as your mind can view the data flows and models.
Building a neurodiverse-friendly environment requires a multifaceted approach that includes practical adjustments to their physical environment, a supportive and inclusive culture, and access to appropriate resources and tools. Leadership is crucial in fostering this environment and ensuring that neurodiverse individuals are supported to reach their full potential.
About Lisa Walker-Brook Lisa Walker’s journey has been anything but ordinary much like the data landscapes she transforms. Born in the United States, Lisa has called South Africa, Northern Ireland, and England home, gaining a truly global perspective along the way. Lisa is a seasoned data professional with hands-on experience spanning data migrations, data quality initiatives, data architecture, and defining data flows between systems. Her deep analytical insight is matched by a natural empathy and intuition shaped by her experiences as an Autistic and ADHD professional. Driven by curiosity and compassion, Lisa approaches every project with one goal: to make sense of data and reveal the story it’s waiting to tell. “I love data. There’s nothing better than a new project with a new source to explore finding the patterns, making sense of the chaos, and preparing it for a new beginning.”
How Neurodiversity can be utilised to enhance your Analysis Skills.
Written by Lisa Walker-Brook, Principal Data Analyst at Info.Blueprint.
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterised by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity symptoms. Individuals with ADHD often can think quickly, multitask effectively, and exhibit high levels of creativity and spontaneity.
Autism: Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), impacts how a person communicates and relates to others. It can also impact how they experience the world around them. Individuals on the autism spectrum often have exceptional abilities in visual and spatial reasoning, pattern recognition, and attention to detail.
Generally, throughout history neurodiverse individuals have been marginalised, misunderstood, and often stigmatised.
I was diagnosed as AuDHD (both Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD) at a very late stage of my career, and I felt such relief. Some people who are diagnosed as Neurodivergent become quite depressed out of sadness that they have been misunderstood all their lives. However, for many it can give clarity on why they are the way they are. The neurodiverse are not ‘difficult’, their brain just fires differently and people who perceive those behaviours as negative may be receiving it through the lens of their own experiences.
Many Neurodivergent women now refuse to ‘mask’ or ‘fawn’: both behaviours used to hide behind to comply with the societal expectations for a woman.
However, to navigate successfully without masking also requires society accepting our different ways of communicating. It means not allowing others to equate assertiveness with aggression. It means calling out ableism and sexism masquerading as etiquette. It means not shying away from our intensity or our honesty for the discomfort of others. It means honouring neurodivergent communication styles and focussing on what is being said instead of how it is being said.
Once you start to understand which ‘idiosyncrasies’ are due to Neurodiversity, you may start to feel that instead of a disability, these skills can be applied as a superpower. Some Neurodiverse people object to the use of the term ‘superpower’ in relation to Neurodiversity as they feel it invalidates their requirements for support. However, many Neurodiverse people need support and accommodation to be able to manage their Neurodiversity but can apply the skills in detailed concentration and pattern recognition to their advantage.
Pattern recognition: I have severe near-sightedness so it always struck me as ironic when my employers called me ‘Hawkeye’ because I could spot an issue in a data set, a presentation, a document or email instantly. One of the key attributes of Neurodiversity is Pattern Recognition. Many of us can scan through a huge data set and very quickly spot the issues. Trend analysis is also something that is enhanced with neurodiverse skills. We may spot something that is minor but is repetitive across multiple time periods.
Heightened focus and detail oriented: Hyperfocus is common among many neurodiverse individuals, particularly those with ADHD. It refers to an intense form of mental concentration or engagement that allows individuals to delve deeply into a subject or task for an extended period. When someone with neurodivergence ‘locks in’ to a task they can often complete it in less time than others can. If this ‘lock in’ is disrupted and the concentration is broken, it may take longer for the neurodiverse than it does neurotypical people to get back to that point and disruption may result in dysregulation. The neurodiverse also need to build in time to regulate themselves.
During a data migration, testing is done across multiple stages and environments. A template already prepared with cells to capture the testing date, database name, the server and other metadata ensures that you can refer easily to these distinct documents with traceability of when and where any checks were applied. This allows you to easily identify where a data issue was created or appeared during the data lineage. Application of strict naming conventions to documents and artifacts results in consistency for the project. Consistency is something that brings comfort to the Neurodiverse.
Innovation and creativity: Neurodiverse individuals often excel in divergent thinking and creative problem-solving and think ‘outside of the box’. The technical members of the team often get bogged down in the approach they have always followed. The neurodivergent can often find a more logical & simpler course to resolve issues. The approach may not be the traditional method, but it may still be applicable.
Persistence: Many neurodivergent people can learn anything quickly and easily if they have the resources available as input. The challenge is not to undervalue their intelligence or abilities. I’ve been called a ‘terrier’ because once something is on my radar, I will not give up until I have an answer to my questions (no matter how annoying I am perceived to be).
Visualisation: not all ND people have the ability, but many can visualise or conceptualise in 3D. This skill makes Data Migrations and Data Modelling easier to understand as your mind can view the data flows and models.
Building a neurodiverse-friendly environment requires a multifaceted approach that includes practical adjustments to their physical environment, a supportive and inclusive culture, and access to appropriate resources and tools. Leadership is crucial in fostering this environment and ensuring that neurodiverse individuals are supported to reach their full potential.
About Lisa Walker-Brook
Lisa Walker’s journey has been anything but ordinary much like the data landscapes she transforms. Born in the United States, Lisa has called South Africa, Northern Ireland, and England home, gaining a truly global perspective along the way. Lisa is a seasoned data professional with hands-on experience spanning data migrations, data quality initiatives, data architecture, and defining data flows between systems. Her deep analytical insight is matched by a natural empathy and intuition shaped by her experiences as an Autistic and ADHD professional. Driven by curiosity and compassion, Lisa approaches every project with one goal: to make sense of data and reveal the story it’s waiting to tell. “I love data. There’s nothing better than a new project with a new source to explore finding the patterns, making sense of the chaos, and preparing it for a new beginning.”
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