How Neurodiversity Influences and Drives Technological Advancements
The technology industry is one of the largest in the world, with the global IT market growing to an estimated worth of $8.8 billion in 2023, and expected to reach $11.9 billion by 2027. At a more granular level, the UK tech sector alone has established phenomenal value in recent years with a current estimated worth of almost 1 trillion dollars, placing it only behind the markets in the US and China.
However, this thriving industry is not without its pitfalls, specifically finding and retaining talent to drive innovation and meet the fast-paced nature of technological advancements. According to data from the Forbes IT Skills Gap Report 2023, 93% of UK businesses reported having an IT skills gap within the job market. Similarly, in a poll of global tech leaders conducted by MIT Technology Review, 64% said technology role candidates lacked necessary skills or experience, while 56% reported an overall shortage of candidates, highlighting a significant need for the sector to tap into new talent. This is where neuro-inclusion and embracing neurodivergent talent becomes essential for companies to grow.
In an acclaimed piece written for the Harvard Business Review, Austrian American management consultant and educator Peter Drucker said, “Innovation requires knowledge, ingenuity, and above all else, focus.” Additionally, the Forbes Skills Gap Report highlighted that 55% of employers felt that problem-solving, analytical thinking, and troubleshooting abilities would be the most valuable skills individuals would need in the technology industry.
These are all strengths and skills that many neurodivergent individuals possess, alongside outside-the-box thinking, problem-solving skills and creativity among many others, which can be essential to finding solutions to tech issues and creating new product and design ideas.
The Impact of Neurodivergent Talent on Technology Developments
What some people may not know is that many key developments in the tech industry have already been driven by neurodivergent individuals.
Let’s take a look at a few examples:
Steve Jobs
Businessman, inventor and co-founder of Apple Inc, Steve Jobs, was dyslexic. He was also the founder of technology company NeXT and a chairman of animation studios Pixar, cementing his place in technology and design history. With creativity and visual thinking often being considered two common strengths of dyslexic individuals, Steve Jobs used these skills to his advantage, even narrating an iconic Apple commercial as part of a “Think Different” campaign which highlighted and targeted “the ones who see things differently.”
Prof. Dr. Larissa Suzuki
Larissa Suzuki may not be a name you know, but she is an award-winning computer scientist, engineer, inventor and university professor who is making a groundbreaking impact on machine learning and the advancements of AI. Currently working as a Technical Director for Google, Dr Larissa has written about her autism and the role it played in helping her achieve her goals, saying: “Being a scientist with autism, there are definitely a number of stereotypes I want to ‘smash’… When I have a strong interest in something, I can focus very deeply on it. I provide different perspectives and novel ideas. My attention, creativity, focus, and different ways of thinking are really what has helped me to succeed as a scientist.”
Sir James Dyson
Inventor, designer, and business magnate Sir James Dyson is dyslexic, and known for his creation of bagless vacuum cleaners which used a process called cyclonic separation to capture dust and dirt. After launching his initial G-Force model in Japan in 1983, the product won the 1991 International Design Fair Prize, and Dyson set up his namesake company in 1993, with one of his early designs quickly becoming the fastest-selling vacuum cleaner ever made in the UK. Sir James Dyson is now one of the ten wealthiest people in the UK, and has launched the James Dyson Award, which “celebrates, encourages and inspires the next generation of design engineers.”
These are just some of the examples of neurodivergent individuals that have pushed technological and creative developments forward, and with an estimated 15 – 20% of the UK population believed to be neurodivergent, technology businesses cannot afford to miss the opportunity to engage with and embrace a significant part of their potential workforce.
So what can companies do to empower neurodivergent talent? We’ve created a dedicated guide to help you discover how neurodivergent individuals can drive innovation within your technology business, learn about the organisations already tapping into this talent pool, and discover how we can support your organisation on a journey to neuro-inclusion.
Click here to download the guide and book in a chat with one of our team today.
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