Welcome to episode #72 We’re thrilled to be joined by Will Soward today.
Will works creatively in a diverse field of digital media. He's invested in making online education more accessible for neurodiverse learners and the Web a better place to learn.
Will talks about UX and accessible UI design with communities in the design and education space. He has 7 years as a UX designer under his belt, 12 years as an adult educator, and 20 years designing and coding front-end.
Will is currently the Lead UX/LX Designer for Tait Communications in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Welcome to the show Will!
Questions
- JN: Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity?
- When did you realise that you weren’t neurotypical?
- Dyslexia 11
- ADHD adult
- What challenges did you face?
- Masking - asking questions
- Academic -
- Rote learning
- Sit still and listen
- Speaking
- What changes have come post diagnosis?
- Context: why does it matter?
- More acceptance - stoicism - out of my control
- Environmental changes - clutter, to do lists
- What challenges do you still face now?
- Rabbitholes during meeting
- Interrupting
- solutionising
- What neuroexceptional strengths are you leaning into now?
- Jump ahead to solve problems quickly
- Creativity
- Hyperfocus
- JC: What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
- Tait - accessibility design
- Online learning - development + design
- Make it better for ND adults
- JN: How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
- Renovating house (last 8 yrs)
- Martial arts - forced calm and focus - karate -> taekwando -> BJJ -> muay thai
- JC: Productivity tips
- What do you do to optimise productivity during your working hours?
- Philosophy: stoicism
- Breathing: calming
- Flywheel to build up motivation
- Lists
- Key priorities for the week
- Reprioritise
- Alarm 30 minutes before need to leave
- What is some unhelpful productivity advice that doesn’t work for you?
- Eat that frog
- BREAK
- JC: What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
- Reprioritise list
- JC: How is your sleep? How do you switch off at night?
- Finish in evening at 5pm to make space for relationship - shut laptop
- JN: Where can people connect with you or find your work?
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willsoward/
- Website: https://willsoward.com/
- JC: Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
- Learn more about neurodiversity
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Connect with Jeremy:
Email: jeremy@focusbear.io
Episode 72