Clare Taylor, chair of BIM4Water and head of digital delivery at MWH Treatment, looks at the impact of digitalisation on people and new research being co-created with the Centre for People-Led Digitalisation around digital technologies as an enabler of neuro-inclusion
Within the water sector, new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), new age infrastructure, autonomous catchments and digital interventions are becoming a reality, bringing numerous benefits.
However, amid the excitement, it is easy to overlook the impact that digital transformation can have on the people involved. It can cause emotional, physical and mental stress, particularly for individuals with neurodivergent characteristics.
BIM4Water is an unfunded, voluntary UK water Industry forum that consists of a cross-industry group open to all organisations involved in the management and delivery of water and wastewater assets.
Focusing on the digital transformation space, it undertakes activities in all aspects of “Better Information Management” including, but not limited to, open data sharing, data quality, security and governance, 4D construction and beyond, asset data, data classification and hierarchies.
The group’s make-up is reflective of the sector, comprising clients, contractors, consultants,
suppliers, subcontractors and other bodies, with work organised into several streams. In bringing these streams together, it became clear that successful digitalisation depends not solely on the technology but in managing the human and technology elements hand-in-hand.
Digital technologies have the potential to make a positive contribution both in efficiencies and towards neuro-inclusion. However, the rapid pace of digital transformation, the constant influx of updates and the evolving process of integrating new technologies into businesses can lead to human overwhelm, fatigue and stress. Given the resource constraints facing the water sector, it is crucial to protect its workforce to ensure a sustainable future.
“Digital change exhaustion is a reality. The persistence and commitment required to see successful digital adoption and transformative practices in an organisation is mentally taxing, with little opportunity for a break between rolling out the next initiative,” says Taylor.
“Those on the receiving side of new tools and technologies can feel overwhelmed due to a constant change of demands, processes and routines. I can only image the magnification of these challenges for those with neurodiverse traits.”
Centre for People-Led Digitalisation
The Centre for People-Led Digitalisation (P-LD) is one of five initial centres funded under the Made Smarter Innovation Programme, delivered by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI).
Led by the University of Bath, it is a collaboration between the universities of Loughborough and Nottingham, along with non-academic partners including the Environment Agency, the Institute for Asset Management and BIM4Water.
The aim of the centre is to improve the outcomes of the adoption of digital technologies through prior explicit consideration and planned appropriate action that prioritises human needs and working patterns in the design and implementation of digitalised work systems.
Simply put, it asks not what we can do with technology, but what technology can do for us.
Sharing a common vision, the aim of the BIM4Water and the Centre for People-Led Digitalisation partnership is to improve adoption and the acceptance of new ways of working by putting people at the forefront of digital technology development and implementation.
Toward this aim, BIM4Water has collaborated on several projects with P-LD, particularly leading those focused on neurodiversity. Two current PhD projects, funded by the University of Bath to work with P-LD, are examining how digital technologies can enable neurodivergent people to access and thrive in employment, and the impact digital overwhelm has on people, but especially within the neurodivergent community.
Digital technologies as an enabler of neuro-inclusion
Matthew Punter, PhD researcher at the University of Bath was previously considered the “worst kid in Leicester”.
Through this research and a digital solution he has created, EDEN (Employment Devices for Enhancing Neurodiversity), he is on a mission to support neurodivergent individuals in workplaces empowering organisations to scale neurodivergent talent through supportive technology.
Having autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and pathological demand avoidance, Matthew fully understands the challenges faced by neurodivergent people in the workplace and how leveraging digital technology could open-up a valuable talent pool.
“The ubiquity of digital technology remains an untapped reservoir of opportunity for many organisations seeking to solve talent scarcity through neurodiversity,” he said.
“The success of neurodiversity across industries like tech, finance and fintech has welcomed a positive downstream effect across other industries such as the water industry. The challenge is how can we empower organisations to support a neurodivergent talent pool and what are the technologies that unleash the strengths of neurodiversity?
“Looking ahead, I’m excited to be working alongside BIM4Water in advancing our process in understanding how technology can simplify the workflow for a neurodivergent workforce.”
Understanding and addressing digital overwhelm
Although digital technologies have the potential to deliver considerable value, the change that accompanies digital transformation can have significant impact on the people involved.
George Bentley, an autistic PhD researcher from the University of Bath, specialises in the understudied notion of neurodivergent burnout in a range of people inside and outside of workplaces, and exploring possibilities to tailor burnout interventions for neurodiverse people.
The aim of his research is to understand how burnout occurs differently in neurodiverse and neurotypical people. He believes that there are both additional risks of burnout but also higher resistance to what are typically seen as fatiguing for others.
If burnout risks are properly understood, we can easily mitigate them with digital technologies, permitting neurodiverse employees to properly express their talents in the workplace. This can help both employees and their employers with benefits to mental health and productivity.
BIM4Water is committed to supporting neurodiverse individuals in the water sector. Ongoing research by George and Matthew, under the P-LD, will continue to inform how digital tools can be used to create a more inclusive and supportive environment. By prioritising research and understanding, the water sector can better protect its most valuable resources, its people.
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