Empowering Creativity: Harnessing the Potential of Industrial Design Students with ADHD

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to leverage the college-aged individual with diagnosed ADHD to best find their niche procedure within the design process by utilizing strategic management solutions in the design curriculum. By the creation of a new adaptable design method–through the combining of existing design methodology– these students can leverage their confidence and gain insight into how to work with their ADHD abilities during the creative segment of the design process. They will also be able to better overcome average ADHD challenges such as ‘Time Blindness’ and ‘Task Paralysis’. The conceptualization of ADHD is still quite new, being only a little over 50+ years old as an accepted learning disability. Framing ADHD as a possible superpower in a creative field such as Industrial Design through this approach will assist in leveraging creativity, learning helpful self-management strategies, and allowing minds to flow within different design process modules. The primary approach is through task switching so one will be better equipped to work within a given time frame without abstraction by organizing their thoughts and applying their unique process to any design project within the Industrial Design classroom. Therefore, this project intends to bridge the gap between Industrial Design students with ADHD and Industrial Design methodology by creating a supplemental productive working routine before students with ADHD leave school for the workforce.