Museums Victoria worked with autistic user/experts to co-design museum spaces and resources. Taking a flexible approach is essential to meaningful participation of autistic people. The experience showed the concept of co-design can be interpreted in different ways. Of course, design outcomes of autism-friendly museums are good for everyone – universal design.
Participants reported improved design outcomes, increased knowledge, and positive emotional experiences as outcomes gained from co-design. An autism-friendly approach to design enhances the universal design of public buildings.
Autism is considered a normal variation of human neurodiversity rather than a diagnostic disorder. More than 80% of Australians who identify as autistic also identified as experiencing disability. This is due to their inability to go places and participate comfortably.
Museums play an important role in society and should therefore be accessible and usable by everyone. They offer valuable opportunities for learning, social interaction and cultural engagement. Autistic visitors have diverse experiences and the built environment plays a big part. Lighting, noise, unclear signage, inaccessible bathrooms are all barriers.
It’s not just bricks and mortar, it’s how people physically interact in that space that can create barriers. Crowded spaces and staff attitudes also matter. Participants emphasised that consideration of accessibility across all museum spaces and facilities is crucial.
Key findings from co-design
- Involving autistic people in the design process can result in better design outcomes for autistic people, their families, and other museum users.
- Future projects should include autistic people and people with disability in all design stages and decision making.
- When planning co-design it is important to be flexible and accommodating of people’s different needs.
- Working with autistic people and people with disability in co-design projects can improve designer’s knowledge and confidence about neurodivergence, disability, and inclusive design.
The title of the research paper is, Co-designing autism-friendly museums: insights from autistic individuals and museum professionals.
From the abstract
Researchers investigated how co-design processes with autistic people were implemented by a museum to enhance its usability. The museum partnered with an autism advocacy organisation. The researchers interviewed four employees of the museum and two employees of the advocacy organisation.
Four major themes emerged. 1. Museums Victoria prioritises usability for all people. 2. Co-design is more than consultation. 3. Collaborative, iterative, and flexible co-design should occur throughout design stages. 4. There are challenges, but co-design leads to positive outcomes.
Findings strongly support the participation of autistic people in the co-design of museum facilities and the factors that facilitate this process. Participants reported improved design outcomes, increased knowledge, and positive emotional experiences as outcomes gained from co-design. Findings also suggest that an autism-friendly approach to design can enhance universal design of public buildings.