Experience for Neurodiverse audience

Overview

Throughout my career, I have conducted numerous lectures and workshops.

As an experience designer, I always strive to create unforgettable experiences that change the way people perceive certain phenomena, stay in memory longer, and reach the minds of listeners much deeper than traditional slides presentations.

During Gdynia Design Days: Design Talks Business, I had the honor of delivering lecture in the final slot.

Knowing that such events can be exhausting for participants, I faced a challenge: how to design a lecture that would be memorable while not contributing to the cognitive overload of the audience?

I decided to engage an additional sense – smell – and move away from the “talking head” convention.

The experience roadmap

❋  During the break between talks, with a help of my friends, we attached a sprig of lavender to each seat; I deliberately chose lavender mainly for its relaxing properties

❋  When I entered the stage, I asked the participants to rub the sprig in their hands, then close their eyes, bring their hands to their faces, and take three deep breaths – thus introducing an element of relaxing aromatherapy

❋  When everyone’s eyes were closed, I turned off the lights in the room, left the stage, and sat on the stairs among the audience, creating a more intimate atmosphere of shared storytelling

❋  The story focused on a regenerative approach to creating AI-based solutions; I discussed how to support the environment, local communities, and what business models should accompany the development of this technology in a regenerative manner

❋  Referring to the conference’s main theme – sustainable development – I emphasized that machines are a reflection of our personal values, and they are what we “feed” them with. Based on this insight, I suggested that to achieve sustainable development, we should start by balancing our own minds first

❋  To conclude and reinforce the conveyed content, I provided about 2 minutes for reflection, playing relaxing music by a local artist Sommelt Music while gradually brightening the room.

Main reflection

The lecture was received with a thunderous applause, but more importantly, it left a lasting impression on the participants’ memories. To this day, I sometimes meet people who recall this experience as unique and unprecedented.

In a world saturated with visual stimuli, engaging multiple senses and fostering tranquility proves far more impactful than aggressively competing for attention.