INTERACT 2025 is the 20th IFIP TC13 International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (International Federation for Information Processing). INTERACT 2025 will be hosted at Belo Horizonte, in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, which has a rich diversity, blending experiences and cultures from around the world, mixing hand-made traditional artefacts and high-tech industry.
This context is inspiring for researchers to discuss design challenges that blend experiences in the virtual and physical world, in an increasingly integration between human-created and artificially generated artifacts.
In line with the theme of this year’s Interact conference, we would like to exchange ideas with research scientists about the theory and practice of researching and developing interactive systems for neurodivergent users.
Technology Design for and with Neurodivergent Users: Considerations from Research Practices
Despite the increase in design practices involving neurodivergent users, there is a growing opportunity to critically reflect on the design methods, approaches employed, and artifacts created thus far for neurodivergent users. This workshop brings together experts in neuroinclusion to discuss the methodological approaches currently adopted, main limitations in recruitment, co-design practices, research, and design activities.
We also seek to identify approaches well-suited to facilitate a paradigmatic shift in which first-view perspectives of actual neurodivergent users inform the research and development of interactive systems. We invite the community to submit their considerations from research and development, experience reports, as well as methodological approaches to ensure neuroinclusive designs that meet the unique needs of neurodivergent users.
Topic Areas
The topics that drive the workshop and involving submission encompass neuroinclusive design. We seek to understand:
- experiences designing for and with neurodivergent people,
- challenges and limitations in current interactive technologies,
- neuroinclusive applications created to meet users’ requirements,
- proposals for novel methods that facilitate more neuroinclusive design and research practices,
- design considerations and critical reflections, seeking to improve current approaches to enhance recruitment of and engagement with neurodivergent communities.
Objectives
This workshop brings together a community of HCI researchers with interest and experience designing for and with neurodivergent people. Assistive technology and neuroinclusive applications have been created across domains, ranging from education support, to workplace inclusion, and leisure. Yet, most of the techniques and methodological approaches traditionally employed in HCI do not meet the unique needs of neurodivergent users and cognitive abilities in a spectrum.
Hence, we invite the community to reflect and discuss design considerations that take a first-person view so that technology serves the needs of end users.
We invite attendees to engage in a critical reflection seeking to identify and address barriers for neuroinclusivity, transforming current design practices so that we can propose and implement methods that promote the full potential of neurodivergent users to be fully integrated in society.
Workshop Organization
We propose a one-day Workshop on September 8th or 9th, 2025 (to be announced) organized alongside IFIP TC 13 INTERACT 2025 conference. Reviews of submissions are prepared by the organizers and discussed jointly.
Target Audience
We welcome workshop participants from academia or industry, with experience and interests in learning more and exchanging knowledge about neurodivergent design approaches. First view experiences with technology, and critical perspectives that reflect upon methods and artifacts, are also welcome to enrich the conversation.
Submission Guidelines
To participate in the workshop, upon disseminating the call for papers via mailing lists, and social media, we invite participants to submit a short paper in an accessible format. The page limit is 6 pages, excluding references. The Springer LNCS format will be used. The topics of the submission should match the workshop topics, i.e., design considerations for including neurodivergent users in the research and development of interactive systems, and improving current practices. A website will inform participants about the submission guidelines. We expect the submissions to include a positionality statement where authors state their profiles and models (theoretical frameworks) adopted, sharing their unique lens, connections, and experience working for and with neurodivergent communities. The submission of manuscripts will be handled by email by the organizing team via vmotti@gmu.edu. Please consider using the following email subject: “Interact 2025 – Workshop” to facilitate the submission process. The submissions will be peer-reviewed by a committee of experts, recruited from the organizers’ network, for evaluation purposes and selection of submissions before the workshop. The criteria for evaluation include the merit of the paper, scientific quality, and alignment with the topics of the workshop. A tentative schedule is defined below:
- Submission: May 15, 2025
- Notification of acceptance: June 10, 2025
- Submission of Camera-ready workshop papers after the INTERACT conference
Participation in the Workshop
The workshop is hybrid, and thus participation can be in person or online. Attending Interact in Belo Horizonte, Brazil is expected for in person participation. Online attendance will be facilitated through Zoom. We will provide flexibility for participants to use alternative modalities to contribute to the conversation, also automated captioning will be available, and the schedule will be shared in advance to facilitate participants’ preparation. Additional accommodations should be solicited to the workshop organizers and will be provided. The schedule will combine brief talks, followed by questions, discussions, and breakout groups to engage attendees.
Key Organizers
This workshop receives backing from the IFIP Working Group TC 13.3, which focuses on Human-Computer Interaction, Disability, and Aging. WG 13.3 aims to increase awareness of the requirements of individuals with disabilities and the elderly. It provides guidance through recommendations for designing technologies that cater to the broadest possible user base, keeps track of the latest advancements in HCI and their effects on accessibility and usability, and promotes the creation of information and communication technologies, along with complementary tools, that can be adapted to meet the diverse needs of users.
Additionally, all the workshop organizers have research interests and experience working for and with neurodivergent users, including autistic people, users with ADHD, and other cognitive differences.
Vivian Genaro Motti is an Associate Professor at George Mason University investigating workplace accessibility for neurodivergent adults and assistive smartwatch applications for emotion-regulation.
David Gollasch is a PhD student at the TU Dresden, Germany with research interests in diversity-sensitive interaction design as well as structured methods and processes around software variability and AI to build adaptive user interfaces.
Meinhardt Branig is a PhD student at the TU Dresden, Germany with research interests in accessibility, data physicalization and tangible interaction with focus on user-group diversity.
Bruna Cunha is an Assistant Professor at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, with extensive experience in health interventions, older adults, and computational assistive technologies designed to address diverse users’ needs.