{"id":245672,"date":"2019-06-23T23:55:52","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T06:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=arcnews&p=245672"},"modified":"2020-01-03T14:58:35","modified_gmt":"2020-01-03T22:58:35","slug":"neurodiversity-in-the-gis-workplace","status":"publish","type":"arcnews","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcnews\/neurodiversity-in-the-gis-workplace","title":{"rendered":"Neurodiversity in the GIS Workplace"},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","transcript_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","castos_file_data":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10382,10992,275982],"tags":[114612,277452,196042,296542],"arcnews_issues":[362452],"class_list":["post-245672","arcnews","type-arcnews","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-esri-technology","category-managing-gis","category-vision","tag-augmented-reality","tag-diversity","tag-gis-professionals","tag-leadership","arcnews_issues-summer-2019","arcnews_sections-gis-people"],"acf":{"short_description":"Does geospatial technology hold the key to what\u2019s next for a very transformative and growing neurodivergent population?","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"During the plenary session at the GIS-Pro & CalGIS 2018 conference in Palm Springs, California, Esri president Jack Dangermond inspired the audience with vivid descriptions of the big-picture purpose of the GIS profession and GIS professionals\u2019 role in what\u2019s next for the world. He endorsed the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) as a champion in successful GIS implementation, noting that it sets the vision for understanding the mission, provides leadership to geospatial professionals, and creates opportunities for collaboration within\u2014and outside\u2014the geospatial community. At the conclusion of his speech, Dangermond challenged the audience to use its collective success in applying GIS to help create and inspire what\u2019s next.\r\n\r\nNo pressure, right?\r\n\r\nStill very much inspired on my trip home, I had plenty of time to reflect on all this. In considering where this transformative technology could be most impactful for many people, I decided that the intersection of neurodiversity and geospatial technology was what\u2019s next.\r\n\r\nThe Oxford English Dictionary defines neurodiversity<\/em> as \u201cthe range of differences in individual brain function and behavioral traits, regarded as the part of normal variation in the human population (used especially in the context of autistic spectrum disorders).\u201d While the focus of this article is on high-cognitive autism and similar profiles, it should be noted that neurodiversity includes all types of brain differences, such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette\u2019s syndrome, dyslexia, and dyscalculia.\r\n

An Attractive Field for a Growing Population<\/h2>\r\nIn a 2018 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that the prevalence of autism in the United States is estimated at 1 in 59 births. The Autism Society of America reports that more than 3.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder. The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders also increased by 6 to 15 percent each year from 2002 to 2010, according to biennial numbers from the CDC.\r\n\r\nThus, most people probably know neurodivergent individuals. They may already be in your workplace, or, if not, they likely will be soon."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":245712,"image_position":"right","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"The geospatial field can be very attractive to neurodivergent job seekers who process visual information much more easily than aural information, want concrete work with tangible outcomes, and prefer limited social interaction with other professionals who are known for looking at people and data in unique and powerful ways. Additionally, more than guiding a career choice, geospatial technology has the potential to be the tools needed to help neurodivergent people change the world in ways that are important. Just as it is best practice to include an experienced utilities subject matter expert on utility projects, it is important to have neurodivergent people shepherd the development of solutions that support their own lives and livelihoods. When included, these individuals often provide a much-needed new perspective that takes projects and\/or products to the next level.\r\n\r\nInspiringly, large corporations, such as Microsoft, SAP, and Dell, are showing that they understand the power of neurodiversity by not only hiring neurodivergent employees but also by taking the lead in manifesting just how valuable the neurodivergent population is to business success. This positive and transformational trend has the potential to expand in the geospatial technology arena."},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"To get started, organizations just need to implement a few measures to create what\u2019s next for neurodiversity in the GIS workplace.\r\n

First, a Cultural Shift<\/h3>\r\nBefore diving into technical solutions, workplaces need to institute cultural shifts to successfully integrate inclusive practices into their workspaces and workflows. A few examples of how to do this include the following:\r\n