Narissa

Kentfield

Narissa

Kentfield

Supporting Neurodiversity at SGN

Award-winning neurodiversity learning that influenced cultural change.

About the project

The neurodiversity project closed a gap in workplace support for neurodivergent colleagues. I ran focus groups to understand real experiences and created a set of learning resources that built awareness, reduced stigma and made simple adjustments easier to access. The content improved confidence, encouraged people to speak up and influenced how SGN approaches inclusion across the business.

Tools used

ARTICULATE RISE

ARTICULATE STORYLINE

CANVA

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP

VYOND

Purrkins Café

Supporting Neurodiversity at SGN

Supporting Neurodiversity at SGN

Interactive barista training featuring realistic scenarios, performance feedback, and a questionable amount of cat puns.

Award-winning neurodiversity learning that influenced cultural change.

Award-winning neurodiversity learning that influenced cultural change.

About the project

Purrkins Café gives new café staff a place to learn the basics before their first real shift.

It teaches key skills in a playful setting, helps build confidence, and shows that you can create simulation style learning in Rise with careful design and a bit of experimentation.

I created the entire experience in Rise, adding my own interactions, visuals, and custom code to make it more engaging and realistic than the standard Rise experience.

The neurodiversity project closed a gap in workplace support for neurodivergent colleagues. I ran focus groups to understand real experiences and created a set of learning resources that built awareness, reduced stigma and made simple adjustments easier to access. The content improved confidence, encouraged people to speak up and influenced how SGN approaches inclusion across the business.

The neurodiversity project closed a gap in workplace support for neurodivergent colleagues. I ran focus groups to understand real experiences and created a set of learning resources that built awareness, reduced stigma and made simple adjustments easier to access. The content improved confidence, encouraged people to speak up and influenced how SGN approaches inclusion across the business.

Tools used

ARTICULATE RISE

ARTICULATE STORYLINE

CANVA

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP

VYOND

ARTICULATE RISE

ARTICULATE STORYLINE

CANVA

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP

VYOND

The Problem

During my time at SGN, I found out in a meeting that candidates were being supported during recruitment by sharing interview questions in advance. It was a great step, but once they started working, there was no visible support available.


Around 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent. With over 4000 employees, that meant hundreds at SGN facing daily barriers. When support isn't visible and people feel overwhelmed or afraid to speak up, it affects mental health, safety and confidence.

Problem

During my time at SGN, I found out in a meeting that candidates were being supported during recruitment by sharing interview questions in advance. It was a great step, but once they started working, there was no visible support available.


Around 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent. With over 4000 employees, that meant hundreds at SGN facing daily barriers. When support isn't visible and people feel overwhelmed or afraid to speak up, it affects mental health, safety and confidence.

Problem

During my time at SGN, I found out in a meeting that candidates were being supported during recruitment by sharing interview questions in advance. It was a great step, but once they started working, there was no visible support available.

Around 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent. With over 4000 employees, that meant hundreds at SGN facing daily barriers. When support isn't visible and people feel overwhelmed or afraid to speak up, it affects mental health, safety and confidence.

Research and insight

With no subject matter expert available, I ran focus groups with colleagues across the business to understand what they actually needed.

Without reasonable adjustments, these barriers were impacting people's lives daily. Colleagues were burning out trying to keep up, exhausted from masking, struggling with tasks that could have been made easier. Managers wanted to help but didn't understand what was creating these barriers.

The adjustments required were small. Being flexible with time, providing information in multiple formats, creating space for different ways of working. But without understanding why these things mattered, nothing changed. Education became vital for cultural change.

Solution

I created learning resources with three clear goals:

1. Building empathy in the workplace - Help managers and colleagues understand what neurodiversity actually is and break down misconceptions through educational videos built in Vyond and Storyline using real employee stories and support guides.

2. Empowerment for neurodivergent colleagues - Make it easier for people to find support and access tools through a self-advocacy template and support guides containing self help tips built in Rise 360.

Design approach

A huge consideration for this project was ensuring everything was as accessible as it could be, and this has influenced how I approach design. I researched what actually works for neurodivergent people across different conditions. This included guidance from organisations like the British Dyslexia Association on accessible digital content, alongside research on ADHD and cognitive load.

This led to specific choices. Optional audio on every page, colour-coded sections, short text chunks with distinct line spacing, pacing, length and conversational tone.

Everything designed to give people choice in how they engaged.

Impact

Colleagues began speaking up and requesting adjustments. Occupational Health started pointing people towards the resources when they disclosed or needed reasonable adjustments.

The content was added to new hire inductions. I presented it at National Inclusion Week, which led to other gas networks reaching out. The project influenced later work to ensure safety critical training for First Call Operatives is inclusive. I raised issues with HR, Communications and the Executive about making all company content more accessible.

The resources received almost entirely 5-star reviews on the LMS.

What this taught me

This project fundamentally changed how I design. Accessibility goes beyond WCAG guidelines. It's about understanding real barriers people face and why small changes matter. I now think about who might struggle at the start of every project, not after content is built.


The biggest lesson: create space for people to tell you what they need. They know better than any assumption you'll make.

© Narissa Kentfield

© Narissa Kentfield